Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports yesterday on July 23, 2024, at 8:20 p.m., deputies located Jacob Reginald Bliss, 49, transient of the Lebanon area, driving a silver Hyundai in Brownsville. Deputies had been looking for Bliss to arrest him on numerous outstanding felony warrants. Bliss’s warrants were for Probation Violation and Fail to Appear 1, where the original charges included Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine-Felony, and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon.
When deputies located Bliss, he stopped his vehicle and fled on foot near the 1000 block of Kirk Avenue in Brownsville. Bliss began running north towards a timbered area, and a K9 unit that was on scene was deployed to track him. Deputies and the K9 chased Bliss over fences, across a creek and through brush, before Bliss finally stopped running. Multiple deputies were on scene and took Bliss into custody. Deputies did not use force and the K9 did not have contact with Bliss. Within minutes of taking Bliss into custody, he began complaining of not being able to breathe and collapsed.
Deputies unhandcuffed Bliss and began CPR and Narcan attempting to save his life until medics arrived. Lifesaving measures were unsuccessful, and Bliss died on scene.
As this was an in-custody death, although only briefly, Lebanon Police Department was asked to investigate the death per standard protocols. Lebanon Police Department is continuing the investigation to determine the cause of death, which is unknown at this time.
Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports on July 2, 2024, her detectives arrested Christopher Michael Douglass, 42, of Sweet Home, in connection to a Luring of a Minor investigation. The investigation began in December of 2023 when the parents of a 15-year-old girl from Albany, reported to law enforcement that their child had been having sexual communications with a 42-year-old male over a four-month period. The communications occurred over a social media application as well as personal text messages.
Investigators were able to determine the 15-year-old girl had been communicating with Douglass who was using a false name on the social media platform. Investigators were also able to determine that the 15-year-old girl had sent sexually explicit images to Douglass at his request. Douglass also offered to buy a bus ticket for the 15-year-old girl so they could meet in person and indicated he would purchase marijuana and nicotine products for her.
On July 2, 2024, Linn County Detectives served a search warrant at Douglass’s residence located in the 600 block of 7th Avenue in Sweet Home. Investigators seized evidence related to this investigation. Douglass was arrested at his residence and taken to the Linn County Jail where he was lodged for the charges of Online Sexual Corruption of a Child in the Second Degree and Luring a Minor. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Sweet Home Police Department.
The investigation is ongoing as investigators believe there may be other victims of Douglass. Anyone with information should contact Detective Tracy White at (541) 967-3950.