Police Say Michigan Referee Charged With Sexual Assault Of Minor May Have More Victims

Police say a longtime Michigan referee who has been charged with sexually assaulting a boy may have done the same to others, Radar has learned.

According to police, Gerald Allen Sutter, who refereed boys and girls sports for 50 years, sexually assaulted a boy from 2019 through 2021. The alleged assaults took place inside the 70-year-old's Lansing Township home, which is located in the 700 block of Fitting Avenue, police say.

The Ingham County Sheriff's Office stated that Sutter is charged with three counts of criminal sexual conduct involving a minor male victim. Sutter is being held at the Ingham County Jail with no bond.

Police say it recently came to their attention that a well-known referee, who mostly officiated baseball and softball, had been preying on young athletes. Their investigation led them to Sutter.

The sheriff's office stated that it executed a search warrant for Sutter's home that led them to evidence and information that there could potentially be other victims in and around that community. Authorities say the assaults could span several decades.

According to police, Sutter has officiated games from early childhood sports to college athletics. He has traveled all around the state to officiate, though most of his work was done in the mid-Michigan area.

"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," police stated. "Our professionals understand the trauma, sensitivity, and reluctance associated with cases like this."

Police ask anyone with information to contact them at 517-676-8440 or officialhotline@ingham.org. "We ask any other victims or people with pertinent information reference these crimes to reach out to us," the sheriff's office stated.