PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A former Olympic equestrian was sentenced to federal prison for sexually abusing a minor student, the United States Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
Richard Fellers, 63, of Sherwood was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
Authorities say that from late 2019 until the summer of 2020, Fellers maintained an “intimate sexual relationship” with a minor female equestrian student who he had been coaching since she was 14 years old. Although the relationship began when she was 16, court documents say it “culminated with a multiday road trip in June 2020 to an equestrian event in Michigan,” in which Fellers intended to engage in sexual contact with the student.
On May 24, Fellers was charged with traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. On July 13, he plead guilty.
Fellers also has a pending case at the state level in the Washington County Circuit Court where he is facing charges of second-degree sex abuse for illegal sexual conduct with the same student.
“Fellers’ federal prison sentence will run concurrently with any state prison term imposed when he is sentenced on October 27, 2023, in Washington County,” officials said.
Fellers is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, authorities say.
