A Halfway man accused of multiple felony sexual crimes is scheduled to enter a plea on Aug. 5 to nine felony charges, some of which on conviction require mandatory minimum prison terms of several years.

Zachariah Scott Peer, 41, was arrested July 9, at his home. He is in the Baker County Jail on bail of $500,000. He could be released by posting 10% of that amount.

On Thursday, July 17, a grand jury indicted Peer on nine counts — five counts of first-degree sex abuse, three counts of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and one count of first-degree sodomy.

On Thursday afternoon Peer, appearing remotely from the jail, had hearing before Judge Thomas Powers of Union County. Peer is represented by Baker City attorney Damien Yervasi. District Attorney Greg Baxter was also in court.

Powers scheduled a plea hearing for Peer on Aug. 5 at 1:30 p.m.

Yervasi told the judge he likely will request a continuation from that date before Peer enters a plea.

According to a probable cause affidavit written by Baker County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Henshaw, Peer abused two girls between 2011 and 2014. The two were between the ages of 7 and 10 at the time, according to the affidavit. Henshaw wrote that he interviewed one of the victims in early June, the other in early July. One victim told Henshaw that Peer had abused her on a “nightly basis” and that there were more than 1,000 incidents. The crimes allegedly occurred in Baker County.

Ashley McClay, public information officer for the sheriff’s office, said police believe there are more than the two victims listed in the probable cause affidavit. She declined to say how many potential victims, citing the ongoing investigation. The sheriff’s office’s press release noted that police are seeking information about other potential victims, and noted that Peer has traveled to California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. The grand jury indictment lists three victims. The crimes against one victim, who was younger than 12, happened between Nov. 24, 1999, and Nov. 24, 2001, according to the indictment.

According to a press release, “during the investigation, deputies discovered that there were additional victims ranging in age from infant to teenagers. The alleged abuse had been occurring for decades.”

One of the victims listed in the probable cause affidavit said in a phone interview on July 10 that she urges other potential victims to make a report with police. She said she wants to ensure that Peer is held accountable. She also urged victims to seek help with the mental trauma, and that reporting crimes to police is the first step. She also testified before the grand jury.

All nine of the charges in the indictment are Measure 11 offenses in Oregon, which means they include mandatory minimum prison terms on conviction. The minimum sentence for first-degree sodomy and first-degree unlawful sexual penetration is 8 years and 4 months. The minimum sentence for first-degree sexual abuse is 6 years and 3 months. Those minimums are for each individual count on which a person is convicted.