LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Lansing is still not fully healed from the Larry Nassar scandal where the former MSU and USA gymnastics physician preyed on females for years, using his position of team doctor to sexually assault girls and women.

Those crimes resulted in him being sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison on sexual assault charges in Ingham County, 40 to 125 years in Eaton County and also a 60-year federal sentence on child pornography charges.

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Now we learn that yet another male who was entrusted with the care and supervision of children participating in sports in Lansing, and across mid-Michigan, has been charged with criminal sexual conduct.

According to the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office, Lansing area referee and coach, 70-year-old Gerald Allen Sutter, has been charged with three counts of criminal sexual conduct involving a minor male victim which were alleged to have taken place from 2019 through 2021 at the suspect’s home.

Sutter was arraigned and remanded to the Ingham County jail with no bond.

The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook, “Information recently came to the attention of the Sheriff’s Office that a well-known athletic official for youth sports, mostly baseball and softball, was preying on young athletes. We immediately started to investigate these allegations which led us to this point.

During the initial investigation, arrest, and execution of a search warrant of Sutter’s home yesterday, evidence and information gathered leads us to believe there is a potential for numerous other victims in and around our community. If so, this case could span several decades.”

The Sheriff’s Office goes on to say, “Sutter has been a multi sport official, both male and female, spanning early childhood sports all the way through college athletics. Over the past 50 years, Sutter has travelled all over this state officiating athletics but primarily worked in the mid-Michigan area. Anyone that has played or had children who have played sports in this area likely had games officiated by Sutter. Gerald Sutter also went by the name ‘Jerry’ and nickname ‘Dewey.’”

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The Sheriff’s Office continues, “We want to assure any person willing to come forward to provide information will be treated with dignity and respect. This investigation will be thorough and objective in our pursuit of justice.”

Ingham County Sheriff Scott Wrigglesworth said about Sutter, “It appeared he was trying to befriend, primarily, young male victims, and kind of shower them with gifts and attention and other things like that to start building that relationship, all with the intent of potentially grooming them for these nefarious acts.”

The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) has said that Sutter was registered as a high school official for the past 50 years and worked baseball, softball, football, basketball and volleyball games. They also said that periodic background checks of Sutter didn’t turn up anything on his record.

Once they learned about the charges, Sutter was immediately suspended.

The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office has established a separate phone line specifically for this case with the number of 517-676-8440 and information can also be emailed to officialhotline@ingham.org. They ask for victims or anyone with pertinent information to the crimes involving Sutter to reach out to them.

Sutter is scheduled for a probable cause conference Nov. 8 in Ingham County 55th District Court.