CNA sought comment from the Human Rights Campaign but did not receive a response by deadline.
In Ashton and Bean's initial response to the charges, they proposed a "civil compromise," which under Oregon law can sometimes resolve criminal cases through an approved payment to an alleged victim. However, Lane County Judge Charles Zennache refused to allow it, Williamette Week reports.
August court filings from Lane County Deputy District Attorney Erik Hasselman claim to have evidence of possible criminal conduct showing Ashton used $220,000 to pay the alleged victim not to show up or testify during Bean's 2015 trial, The Oregonian reports.
Portland Police Bureau Detective Jeff Myers said Bean's lawyer Ashton and the alleged victim's lawyer worked to reach a civil settlement, 2019 court records say. They report a detailed plan to prevent investigators from finding the boy and that the alleged victim's own lawyer allegedly helped him hide.
A defense motion over the summer from one of Bean's lawyers indicated that Deputy Lane County District Attorney Erik Hasselman claims to have evidence that Bean, Ashton, the boy's lawyer, and another attorney for a prosecutor's witness "committed the crimes of bribery, witness tampering and 'possibly' money laundering."
Bean attorney Kimberlee Volm, who filed the motion, told a judge that the statute of limitations had probably run out and would prevent charging Bean or Ashton with such charges.
KOIN 6 News said that the new arrests show that prosecutors believe they can proceed with some charges.
Bean has filed a $2 million civil lawsuit against Myers, the investigating officer; the prosecutor Erik Hasselman; and the alleged victim's civil attorney Sean Riddell. The lawsuit claims they colluded into coaxing the alleged victim into falsely claiming Bean had sexually abused him, The Oregonian reported in September.
Riddell has filed a $6.15 million civil lawsuit against Bean on behalf of the alleged victim.
Kevin J. Jones is a senior staff writer with Catholic News Agency. He was a recipient of a 2014 Catholic Relief Services' Egan Journalism Fellowship.