NEW ULM — Bail for former New Ulm Police investigator Eric Alan Gramentz was set at $300,000 with conditions, $500,000 without conditions in Brown County District Court Thursday.

On Feb. 26, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed and sent back an April 2023 Brown County District Court sentencing decision on Gramentz.

In January 2023, Gramentz pleaded guilty to first-degree felony criminal sexual conduct and two counts of second-degree felony criminal sexual conduct.

A pre-sentence investigation (PSI) recommended the district court impose the presumptive guidelines prison sentence for each count–144 months for count one, 150 months for count two and 119 months for count three.

Prison sentences for each count were stayed for 25 years probation. Gramentz was ordered to serve 90 days in jail and register as a predatory offender for life.

Scott County prosecutors appealed Judge Allison Krehbiel’s decision.

“Because the district court did not identify substantial and compelling reasons to depart from the presumptive prison sentence, we reverse and remand for re-sentencing,” read the Court of Appeals opinion.

“We express no opinion as to the appropriate sentence on remand,” read the Court of Appeals decision.

“On remand, the district court may exercise its discretion to reopen the record, consider the motion for sentence departure, and determine the appropriate sentence,” concluded the Court of Appeals decision.

Gramentz cooperated with the PSI, had no criminal history, participated in a psycho-sexual evaluation that recommended treatment and appeared to show remorse for the victims, according to the PSI.

At sentencing, the State asked the district court to deny a motion for sentencing departure and impose executed sentences.

A week later, the district court issued a written sentencing order and memorandum granting the downward dispositional departure for a more lenient sentence.

The basis for granting the sentence were that the psycho-sexual evaluation indicated Gramentz is amenable to probation and outpatient sex offender treatment, the victims requested Gramentz not be sent to prison; and the comprehensive, strict probationary sentence conditions.

The state appealed, arguing the sentence should be reversed because the district court failed to make the necessary finding Gramentz was particularly amendable to probation and that the facts do not establish it.

The state also argued that district court improperly based its departure decision on the statements and concerns of victims.

District court re-sentencing was set for 2 p.m. May 6. Bail conditions include no contact with victims, no unsupervised contact with persons under age 18, no use or possession of firearms or dangerous weapons and submitting to random searches of electronic devices and personal computers for monitoring of contact restrictions.