WESTBROOK — A Kennebunk man charged with sexual abuse of a minor will remain in jail until his next court appearance in July.

Jeremy Link, 43, of York Street in Kennebunk, was arrested April 22 by Westbrook Police at the Elite All-Stars of Maine Cheer Gym at 73 Bradley Drive. Link has been charged with sexual abuse of a minor, a Class C felony.

Link made his first court appearance Monday at the Cumberland County Unified Criminal Court in Portland where bail was set at $15,000 cash or $100,000 secured bond. He was sent to Cumberland County Jail where he will remain until his next scheduled court date.

Link’s attorney, Gary Prolman, said Link will remain in jail “for the foreseeable future.” According to the Cumberland County Unified Criminal Court, his next court appearance is scheduled for July 6.

Prolman on Tuesday said Link could make bail at any time, but that it doesn’t appear this will occur.

“I think for right now the best place for Jeremy is right where he is,” Prolman said.

The details of the sexual abuse and Link’s arrest were not available Tuesday as the court file was impounded. According to Tamara Getchell, the Cumberland County Business and Communications Coordinator, the victim was a 14-year-old girl.

Prolman declined to discuss the details of the case.

“On these types of cases it’d be disrespectful to the families involved,” he said.

According to Julie Dvilinsky, the owner of Elite All-Stars, Link was employed at the gym. In a Facebook post on the gym’s business page on Tuesday, she said Link has been let go.

“This individual is no longer a staff member at our gym, and they are not a representative of our morals, values or what we teach, from staff to athletes,” Dvilinsky said.

Dvilinksy said Link had passed a background check prior to his employment and that she feels “shock, sadness and grief for the child and their family involved.” She said the gym staff will be provided with ongoing training around working with young athletes.

Dvilinsky said the safety of all children is a top priority at the gym. Westbrook Police in a press release on Monday said the incident poses no safety threat to students in Westbrook.

“There is no evidence that the incident involves any connection to the Westbrook School Department or any other school department,” Chief Janine Roberts said.

 Kate Gardner can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 125 or kgardner@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @katevgardner.

Link

Copy the Story Link