SANTA CRUZ — A Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge raised the bail for Pleasure Point surfing mentor Lucas Klatt to $250,000 during his first court appearance Thursday.
Judge Rebecca Connolly also agreed to issue a criminal protective order for an unnamed juvenile related to the case. One victim has been identified to date on the Santa Cruz District Attorney’s Office complaint. Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office arrested Klatt, 39, Monday. He has been indicted on charges of burglary, annoying or molesting a child, stalking and using a child to use or sell illegal substances — all felonies. Initial arrest charges also included lewd acts with a victim under the age of 15 and his bail was first set at $100,000.
Asked outside of court if there is more than one victim in the case, Assistant District Attorney Steven Moore said his office is looking into the possibility of other community members coming forward with additional information.
“In cases like this, there’s always ongoing investigation,” Moore said.
Klatt, appearing by audio teleconference from the Santa Cruz County Jail where he remains in quarantine, agreed to his public defender’s request to delay his arraignment to July 15.
Several interested people involved in the local surfing community attended Thursday’s hearing, bringing cardboard signs urging the court to set “no bail” for Klatt. Sean Chandler, a local parent and middle school surfing coach, said outside the court that he and friends in the community fear Klatt’s potential retaliation, should he post bail. Doing his own research, Chandler said he believed Klatt had spent nearly 20 years “being involved in this kind of situation.”
“I think in general, he comes off as a nice person. He says all the right things. He’s a master manipulator,” Chandler said. “He provides tangible and intangible things for these children that they may or may not be getting from home. They end up looking up to him as this figure, a protector. And then, at that point is when he has the hook into them.”
Chandler said those he has spoken with are concerned about their safety and their children’s safety and about him as a flight risk.
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting community members with additional information to call detective Sgt. Zach West at 831-454-7645.
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