The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

A Deschutes County Grand Jury indicted Steven Gage of Sisters on 22 additional counts of sex abuse and criminal mistreatment on Friday, June 16.

Gage, who operated Royal Haven Equestrian Center for Girls near Sisters, had been indicted previously on 45 counts including rape, sexual abuse and criminal mistreatment. He was arrested by Oregon State Police detectives on June 2.

According to OSP Detective Tom Kipp, additional victims came forward after the arrest and their allegations led to the additional counts. Twenty of the counts are related to alleged sexual abuse; two deal with alleged criminal mistreatment.

Kipp reported that the District Attorney's Office requested that a second OSP detective be assigned to investigate allegations of financial wrongdoing associated with the operation of Royal Haven.