WOODSTOCK – Attorneys said a former McHenry game shop owner didn't violate any court orders by returning to the business where he is accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy.

After charges were filed against Jason Long, of the 2400 block of Randall Lane, Arlington Heights, the 30-year-old man remained involved with the store, where he was accused of paying a teen $100 to engage in a sexual act. Over prosecutors' objections, McHenry County Judge James Cowlin recently granted Long permission to travel out of the state to attend company-related gatherings.

The boy’s mother told detectives that the owner was having an inappropriate relationship with her 15-year-old son, police said. Long was arrested Aug. 31, and on Oct. 7, he was seen working at Snap Keep Games and interacting with customers. Although there were no court orders explicitly keeping Long away from the business, the teen he is accused of sexually abusing was a frequent customer, according to police and court records.

At the time, however, Long only was restricted from having contact with the alleged victim, McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney John Gibbons said.

New Snap Keep Games owner Michael Arrowsmith said he believes Long was at the shop less frequently after the charges were filed, and most of his involvement with the company was focused on whether the store would shut down or change owners.

“I don’t feel it’s fair to judge someone on accusations, but I also don’t know all the information, and to be completely fair, I’m trying to avoid as much of it as I can – being that I would like my brand to survive,” Arrowsmith said. “It frustrates me a great deal that a business can take the hit instead of the individual who is accused of making the mistake.”

Snap Keep Games announced Oct. 11 closing of its McHenry location on Facebook.

“The company is being sold to new owners, and we wish them well with the future of their new venture” the post read. “It has truly been a pleasure to enjoy our favorite games with you and hope that you’ll game on in our absence.”

Arrowsmith has considered rebranding the company. Meanwhile, he’s waiting for Snap Keep Games’ ties with Long to be severed completely, he said.

“In a perfect world, I absolutely would have bought it out and made the correct public statements,” Arrowsmith said. “I will be looking to open the new location. I need time for Snap Keep Games to weather the storm, and I need time for Jason and Snap Keep Games to separate fully, and that’s what I’m working on right now.”

It wasn’t the felony charges against Long that ultimately lost him the store, however. According to court documents, Long was forced out of the space after failing to pay five months’ worth of rent – racking up a $23,985 debt to the property managers.

Property managers of the Elm Street storefront were not available to comment on potential plans for the vacant space or why Long was allowed to remain at the location after he hadn’t paid rent.

The landlord filed a notice Sept. 28 allowing Long five days to pay the missed rent, but he never did, records show.

Long’s attorney, Francisco Botto, wasn’t available to comment on the case, or whether attending game conventions and continuing to work at the shop violated any court orders.

Long was granted permission during a Sept. 25 hearing to leave the state between Sept. 28 and Oct. 3 to travel to Providence, Rhode Island, and between Oct. 19 and 22 to go to Dallas, Texas, court records show. During that time, Cowlin added a condition to Long’s bond barring him from having any unsupervised interaction with minors, Gibbons said.

Photos Long posted to the business’ Facebook account Sept. 30 showed Snap Keep Games’ vendor table at a card game gathering in Providence, Rhode Island.

In 2005, Long was arrested and charged with criminal sexual abuse in Cook County for performing a sex act on a 14-year-old, according to court records. Long was 19 at the time and was convicted. He last registered as a sex offender in Cook County in 2015, online records show.

In February 2016, Long opened the McHenry store, which hosted weekly gatherings where visitors could play card and tabletop games, according to the Snap Keep Games website.

“As it sits, my contact with [Long] is very limited,” Arrowsmith said. “This industry should be a place that should be safe and enjoyable for everyone to be able to play safe and have fun gaming.”

Long is due in court Monday. If convicted of the most serious charge, he could face up to 13 years in prison.