WEST DEER TWP, Allegheny County — A former gymnastics coach who prosecutors say sexually assaulted at least two children during the past 15 years was sent to jail Monday by a district judge.

The judge did that after a preliminary hearing in which two women testified that he told them not to tell anyone about their sexual encounters.

Prosecutors from Allegheny County presented testimony from the two women, who say Keith Callen, 45, of 117 Sarver Road, Butler County, sexually assaulted them.

One woman claimed that Callen molested her and had sex with her over a period of years as he was her gymnastics coach at three academies in Allegheny and Butler counties.

In testimony Monday that alleged victim, who is now 18 years old, reaffirmed her statements to police which ultimately led to Callen's arrest in April on charges of sexual assault by a sports official, volunteer or employee of nonprofit or not-for-profit organization, aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors and indecent assault.

She said that Callen began serving as her gymnastics coach when she was 11 or 12 years old, and began giving her inappropriate gifts of jewelry. When the girl was about 14, she testified, Callen began touching her sexually, and when she was 17 he began arranging sexual liaisons with her in the parking lot of Home Depot in Butler Township.

She also testified Monday that Callen would call her a “slut,” a “whore” and other derogatory names, and repeatedly sought to isolate her from other gymnasts at the Butler County gym, where he was her trainer.

“He said that everyone at (the gym) hated me and that I should just quit, and that no one would care if I did,” the victim testified.

Callen also is accused of participating in another series of sexual assaults which happened more than 15 years ago.

In that case, a victim told police that Callen and her stepfather sexually assaulted and took nude and partially nude photographs of her and her older sister in 2001 when they were 6 or 7 years old.

In her testimony Monday, that victim said she remembers Callen and her stepfather, who is serving a sentence in the case, telling them not to tell anyone what was done to them. The victim has said the abuse occurred at her mother's home in Middlesex Township and at Callen's home on Sarver Road.

She said both girls were repeatedly abused in Callen's home.

“You just normally expected what happened,” the victim testified. “We didn't go over there (to Callen's home) for fun.”

Callen faces charges of aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, indecent assault, and corruption of minors in that case.

In arguments before District Judge Tom Sawn, Lisa Carey, Allegheny County assistant district attorney, said that Callen's bond should be revoked or raised because he sought to use his credentials as a gymnastics coach to get jobs or volunteer positions that put him in close contact with children.

“We have a course of conduct here (where) he has been sexually assaulting children in different capacities for at least 15 years,” said Carey.

She argued that it was necessary to revoke or increase Callen's bond “to ensure the safety of the community.” She said that authorities' investigation into Callen remains open, involves “multiple police departments,” and that investigators still have to interview other potential victims.

But Callen's defense attorney, Jack Haller, countered that Callen should still be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that he had fulfilled his obligation by showing up on time for court appointments.

Ultimately Swan, who on Monday ordered Callen to stand trial on all the charges filed against him, decided to send the Clinton Township man back to the Allegheny County Jail on $250,000 monetary bond.

Swan said he decided to impose the new bond requirement because both of the victims testified Monday that they had been told by Callen not to tell anyone about their sexual contact with him.

“My concern is in both cases there was reference to 'don't tell anyone',” Swan said, “and to me that's a little bit of intimidation of witnesses. I hate that.”

Both Carey and Haller declined to comment on the case following the preliminary hearing.