A Lake Stevens man charged with 10 felony sex crimes was ordered back behind bars Thursday by a judge worried the man can’t be kept from contacting the teenage wrestlers he is accused of molesting.
Eugene Brian Garvie, 39, was jailed in lieu of $1 million bail at the conclusion of a brief hearing before Snohomish County Superior Court Judge James Allendoerfer. He had been free on $250,000 bail.
A referee in youth wrestling competitions since 1989, Garvie was charged Thursday with second-degree child rape, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and seven counts of possessing child pornography.
Prosecutors allege Garvie traded alcohol and drugs for sex and nude photo sessions involving boys he met through wrestling.
“The defendant has not been charged with anything he did not admit to, much of which was confirmed either by what was found in the search (of Garvie’s home), or memorialized by his photography talents,” deputy prosecutor Mark Roe said in court papers.
The courtroom Thursday was packed with the families of young wrestlers when Garvie, in a soft voice, pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted, he faces more than 23 years in prison.
Roe asked for $1 million bail. He said Garvie had attempted to kill himself with an overdose of pills after one of the boys in April went to authorities.
The investigation has since grown to examine alleged improper contact that spanned decades and involved dozens of boys.
Detectives are also looking into the possibility that Garvie may have molested children within his family, Roe said. Two of the defendant’s young relatives told detectives “they can’t talk about their secret” with Garvie, the prosecutor said.
If Garvie were to take his own life before the allegations against him are fully aired, it would be a “last act of abuse on the victims,” Roe told the judge.
Defense attorney Mark Stephens said his client has no plans to hurt himself and intends to await trial working and living at the machine shop he owns in Everett.
Stephens said his client would agree to a list of restrictions if released on bail, including prohibitions against access to drugs, alcohol, the Internet and firearms, plus having his whereabouts monitored electronically.
But setting up electronic monitoring for Garvie would require him to live in a place with a telephone, and there is no way to guarantee that the defendant would not use it to contact his accusers, Allendoerfer said.
The judge said he may reconsider Garvie’s bail, but only if he’s convinced there is a way to electronically monitor the man’s whereabouts and also keep him from talking on the phone.
“I just don’t want him to make a single outside phone call,” Allendoerfer said.
Reporter Scott North: 425-339-3431 or north@heraldnet.com.
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