Home Invasion Sends Salem Man to Hospital - 07/30/10
Marion County Deputies responded to a call of a home-invasion robbery at a Salem residence in the 4000 block of Vernon Loop NE early this morning. The call was received at 2:58am, after two armed subjects forced their way into the home.

The residents, a couple in their 20's were awakened by someone attempting to enter their home through a rear window. When that effort failed, the suspects broke in through the front door and demanded that the residents tell them where the "drugs" were hidden. The couple was then separated by the suspects. The wife remained with their three small children in a back bedroom while the husband was taken to the living area of the house.

The suspects were armed with weapons. During the confrontation, the husband received serious injuries to his head and arm. The method of injury is being withheld at this time.

During the commotion, the victims and their children were able to escape from the suspects and flee to a neighbor's home to call 911. As they were fleeing the house, a single shot was fired by one of the suspects. The suspects then fled the area. A search by Marion County Deputies and their canines did not result in the apprehension of the suspects.

One suspect was described as a white male, 20-30 years old, 6-0, 200-230, "baby-faced", wearing a brown "hoodie" sweatshirt, a stocking pulled over his face and a black backpack. He was armed with a knife and a large flashlight.

The second suspect was described as a Hispanic or white male, in his 30's, 5-7, 175, bald, wearing a black "doo-rag" with a bandana covering his face. He wore a gray ‘T' shirt and slacks and was armed with a handgun.

The male victim was transported to the Salem Hospital for treatment of his injuries. His condition is unknown. The female victim and the children were unharmed. It is unknown at this time if anything was taken by the suspects.

The investigation is on-going. Anyone with information about this incident should contact the Marion County lead Detective Mike Myers at 503.540.8096.

* UPDATE - VICTIM IDENTIFIED * - Salem Man in Critical Condition following Shooting - 07/28/10
12:30PM:

Earlier today, Marion County Deputy District Attorney Henry Loebe identified the victim of last Friday's shooting as Raymond M. Deluna, 20.

Deluna was a resident of the home on Juliana Loop SE, Salem, where the shooting occurred.

There is no new information on Deluna's condition.

The suspect, Charles Bradley Brannon remains in custody at the Marion County Jail with bail set at $100,000.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

9:15pm:

At approximately 7:00pm, this evening, Charles B. Brannon, 20 of Salem, was arrested in connection with the shooting of the 20-year old Salem man earlier in the morning. He was placed into custody at the Marion County Sheriff's District Office following investigation.

Marion County Sheriff's Detectives charged Brannon with Assault 1 and booked him into the Marion County jail where he is being held without bail.

The investigation continues; there are no updates on the identity of the victim or his condition.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

At 3:45am, Friday morning, Marion County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 4500 block of Juliana Loop, SE in Salem. The initial report was that there had been a shooting at the residence.

Deputies arrived within minutes to find a 20-year old male subject suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to the Salem Hospital in critical condition.

This case is still under investigation with the Marion County Sheriff's Office. Anyone with information about the shooting should contact the Sheriff's Office at 503-588-5032.

Release of the victim's name or details of the incident are not available at this time.

"National Night Out" in Marion County - August 3rd - 07/27/10
Twenty Six Neighborhood Watch groups from throughout Marion County will be celebrating the Annual National Night Out crime and drug prevention event (http://www.nationalnightout.org/nno/) on Tuesday August 3rd. Residents from communities including Monitor, Woodburn, Salem and Scotts Mills are locking their doors, turning on their outside lights and joining their neighbors for an evening of celebration.

According to Community Relations Sergeant Dave Cornforth, "The Neighborhood Watch approach to crime prevention is but one part of the strategy employed by our Community Relations Unit to strengthen the partnership between neighbors and law enforcement. The goal is to increase crime awareness and send a strong message to the criminal element that neighbors are organized and prepared to fight back".

One of the featured events will be a bar-b-q for the Watch groups in the Santana Park area in southeast Salem. Hot dogs, chips and soft drinks will be provided the residents of that area until the supply is exhausted. Generous contributions from local businesses will make this an event to remember. Additionally, there will be balloons, prizes, games, emergency vehicle displays and a MCSO K-9 demonstration to enjoy. The bar-b-q will start at 6:00pm and last until 8:00pm

Residents of Jefferson will be celebrating as they have in the past with a bar-b-q at "The Bridge", which is located at 812 N 2nd Street in Jefferson. Marion County Deputies Matt Hagan and Aaron West will be in charge of the "grill". Children will have the chance to play in an inflatable "bouncy" house provided by the City of Jefferson.

Go to our You Tube site: http://www.youtube.com/user/marionsheriff to learn more about the National Night Out celebration!

If your neighborhood is planning a block party and would like a representative of the Marion County Sheriff's Office to stop by with a Message from Sheriff Jason Myers please contact the Community Relations unit of the Marion County Sheriff's Office at 503-588-7981.

Assault by Inmate Results in Death - 07/20/10
Detectives from the Marion County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Unit were called upon to investigate an inmate-to-inmate assault in the Marion County jail.

The initial incident occurred at approximately 10:30am, on July 13th, when two inmates were involved in a dispute that resulted in one inmate receiving a head injury. No weapons were involved.

The incident occurred in the recreation yard in the minimum security cellblock. The yard is available to inmates and supervised by deputies and security staff.

Deputies responded to the aid of the injured inmate. He was evaluated by the on-duty Nurse and upon her direction, transported to the Salem Hospital for further treatment.

Our office was advised by Salem Hospital that the inmate had succumbed to his injury at approximately 7:30pm, Monday evening. He was identified as Robert Haws, 29, of Salem. Haws had been in the custody of the jail since June, serving a misdemeanor sentence. He had additional charges pending for delivery of marijuana, reckless endangering and attempting to elude.

Detectives are being assisted with their investigation by members of the Linn County Sheriff's Office. Their reports are being submitted to the District Attorney's Office. The case will be presented to the Grand Jury at a future date, after the investigation is complete, to determine if any charges will be filed.

Until the Grand Jury has completed its review, the name of the other inmate will be withheld.

Board of Commissioners Recognizes Parole & Probation Division - 07/20/10
By unanimous Board action, the Marion County Board of Commissioners has declared July 18-24, 2010, Parole & Probation Officer week.

Since 1841, the practice of probation and parole has played a vital role in our justice system. Nationally, there are over 5 million adults on community supervision. As a state, we supervise over 32,000 persons; over 4,000 reside within Marion County and are supervised by the Parole & Probation Division of the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

According to Commander Jeffrey Wood of the Parole & Probation Division, "Our basic responsibility is to prevent criminal activity and promote the reformative process. Although this statement may seem elementary, the resulting effects within our community are deep and profound: Lower crime rates, people overcoming addiction(s), families remaining a nuclear unit, lowering the burden on social service resources, breaking the intergenerational cycle of criminality, and lowering the costs of prosecution and incarceration for repeat offenders. The facts are clear: community corrections professionals help to create stronger and safer communities".

The Parole & Probation Division staff provides a multitude of services to the residents of Marion County. These include transition and reentry programs, drug and mental health court, management of our community's highest-risk population, community notification and registration, cognitive programming, and program evaluation. The result of these programs has been a declining recidivism rate.

Parole & Probation Deputies strive for efficiency by focusing precious public resources on our highest risk population and by targeting specific behaviors linked to criminal conduct. They constantly network with social service and law enforcement agencies. They may help a single mother find a job, arrest an absconder placing the community at-risk, or make a referral to transitional housing or treatment to help overcome years of addiction, all within the span of a couple of hours.

Deputies and support staff are trained to be problem solvers, crime prevention specialists, motivators, educators, facilitators and often are the only support system an offender may have. Often, the best they can hope for is for someone on supervision to quietly reintegrate into the community never to repeat the mistakes of their past.

The Parole & Probation staff will be provided an appreciation luncheon on July 22nd. Keynote speakers will be District Attorney Walt Beglau and Sheriff Jason Myers.

MCSO Public information Officer - 07/19/10
Don Thomson has resumed the PIO duties for the Marion County Sheriff's office.

He can be reached at 503.932.8002 or Dthomson@co.marion.or.us

Weekend PIO Duties for MCSO - 07/16/10
Effective 12:00pm, today, Lieutenant Tim Steele will be handling the PIO duties for the Marion County Sheriff's Office. Don Thomson will resume the duties on Monday the 19th.

Lt. Steele can be reached at 503.932.1997 or Tsteele@co.marion.or.us

Sheriff Announces Promotion of Sergeant Craig Cunningham - 07/16/10
Friends, co-workers and family members attended the promotional ceremony for Sergeant Craig Cunningham on Thursday afternoon. Sheriff Jason Myers announced that he will be assigned to supervise the Traffic Safety Team.

Sergeant Cunningham started his law enforcement career in 1986 as Reserve Officer with the Portland Police Bureau. He also served for nine years as a Police Officer for the City of Woodburn before becoming a Deputy for the Marion County Sheriff's Office in 1997. He became a Senior Deputy in 2007.

Sgt. Cunningham was selected as one of two deputies to form a Street Crimes Unit for the Sheriff's Office. He has served in a various assignments within the Office; including stints in our patrol division, civil division and as a motor deputy with our Traffic Safety Team.

Craig is a certified Emergency Vehicle Operations instructor, and has instructed at both the Oregon Police Academy and the Marion County Reserve Academy. He has been awarded a Community Policing award and a Distinguished Service Award while with the Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Jason Myers commended on Sgt. Cunningham's work experience, saying "He has served in many capacities as a Marion County Deputy. His demonstrated abilities as a Traffic Safety Team member will make his a strong leader of that unit. I wish him success in his new position"

* REMINDER * - Turnidge Trial Media Briefing Scheduled for July 23, 2010 - 07/15/10
* REMINDER *

This release is a reminder for all news media outlets of the upcoming media briefing scheduled for July 23rd. The media is requested to RSVP to the Marion County Sheriff's Office PIO, Don Thomson at Dthomson@co.marion.or.us if you are planning to attend.

The attached Public Access order, issued by Judge Thomas Hart, is unchanged from the earlier release. Judge Hart reminds the media that they can submit questions about the order in advance of the meeting by FAX at 503.589.3262.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
* ORIGINAL RELEASE *

The aggravated murder trial for Bruce & Joshua Turnidge is scheduled to begin September 13th, 2010.

The Honorable Thomas M. Hart has issued a Public Access Order to address the media issues anticipated for this trial. To assist in clarifying his order he is inviting members of the media to a pre-trial media briefing, scheduled for Friday, July 23rd, from 9:00am to 11:00am at the Marion County Courthouse, 100 High Street SE, Salem, Oregon.

Attached are copies of his invitation and the Public Access Order.

Media representatives planning to attend the briefing on the 23rd should RSVP to the Marion County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer, Don Thomson, at Dthomson@co.marion.or.us

If you are unable to attend, or have a question you'd like to submit to the Court in advance of the meeting, please FAX them to the court at 503.589.3262.

* UPDATED SAFETY CONCERNS * Construction Closes North Fork Road SE - 07/15/10
* UPDATE - 11:55am *

Due to several recent near-miss accidents, we'd like to remind the public again about the road closure due to construction on North Fork Road from milepost 4, to near the bridge over the river at milepost 6.

We have received word from the excavation contractors that drivers are ignoring the "road closed" barricades and entering the construction zone. According to Safety Officer Richard Classen of K&E Excavating, "The problem occurs when our loaded trucks are operating within the construction zone with the assumption that it is a secure area. They come around a blind corner and meet a car full of people head-on, who are looking for a place to park and swim in the river. We are very concerned about the hazards created by people ignoring the signs"

These trucks have a loaded weight of over 105,000 pounds and their ability to make sudden turns or stops is negatively affected by their increased gross weight.

Enforcement Commander Eric Hlad reminds drivers that "The Sheriff's Office will be increasing its patrols at the site, specifically looking for these violators. Driving around a posted road-closed barricade is prohibited by section 811.445 of the ORS. It carries a fine of $142 for the Class D traffic violation".

Drivers parking along North Fork Road outside of the closed area are also reminded to pull completely out of the lane of travel when parking. Blocking the roadway will also result in a citation being issued.

The road closure will remain in effect until September 20th. Drivers are reminded that access to the Opal Creek area, Upward Bound Camp, the Elkhorn Valley Golf Course and any area uphill from milepost 6 will require the use of the Gates Hill Road detour off Highway 22.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Marion County Sheriff's Office, in cooperation with the Marion County Public Works Department is issuing this informational notice of road construction and detours that will affect the roadway immediately adjacent to the North Fork River, off Highway 22.

Effective now, through September 20th, North Fork Road SE will be closed to through traffic from milepost 4, to near the bridge over the river at milepost 6. The attached map details the area affected.

Access to the Opal Creek area, Upward Bound Camp, the Elkhorn Valley Golf Course and any area uphill from milepost 6 will require the use of the Gates Hill Road detour off Highway 22.

Caution is recommended on Gates Hill Road due to the expected increase in traffic, steep grades and curvy nature of the highway. In addition to others using the area for recreation, drivers can also expect to encounter slow moving logging trucks and construction vehicles. Passing is prohibited on Gates Hill Road. The Marion County Traffic Safety Team will increase their patrols during the construction period, focusing on speeding and illegal passing. We hope you'll be patient and slow down so everyone gets home safely.

The North Fork County Park will remain open, as will the other state and federal parks along the river. Anyone seeking access to the river is cautioned to respect the private property rights of the homeowners & businesses in the area and asked to act responsibly by leaving your picnic area free of litter and waste. Remember, all Marion County Parks are alcohol-free parks. Violators will face citations and fines.

Drivers are encouraged to obey the "no parking" signs posted along North Fork Road. There is available parking at the Three Pools Park and Salmon Falls Park lots.

We understand that construction brings with it inconvenience, but we hope that all residents and visitors will work together to maintain a safe environment for everyone to enjoy our roadways and recreational areas.

*UPDATE * Woman Missing from Jefferson Found in Portland - 07/14/10
* UPDATE 10:30pm *

At approximately 7:30pm, this evening, Melissa Fentress was located by the Portland Police Bureau in the Pearl District. Portland officers responded to a citizen's report of female subject acting suspiciously and immediately identified her as Melissa Fentress. She was evaluated by a physician and found to be in good condition. She was reunited with her family and has returned to her home in Jefferson. No details are immediately available regarding her activities or whereabouts during the time she was missing.

Our Office appreciates the assistance received from the Portland Police Bureau in locating and returning Ms. Fentress to her family.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Marion County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's assistance in locating a missing Jefferson woman who has not been heard from since Monday night.

Melissa Ann Fentress, also known by Melissa Ann Byrd, 26 of Jefferson, was last seen by her parents around midnight, July 13th. Ms. Fentress goes by the name "Mel" and is 5-5, 130, with short brown hair and brown eyes. She has a distinctive tattoo of Medusa which covers most of her upper chest. She is employed at The Fire Pit tavern in Lebanon.

Her parents told deputies that she left in her vehicle which was later recovered in Portland. It had been reported by the City of Portland parking patrol as abandoned in a truck loading zone on Broadway. Her purse and her 8 week old puppy were found inside the locked vehicle. Her parents also advised that she had left her cell phone at her home; something they felt she wouldn't normally do. They expressed concern over her emotional and physical well-being.

Anyone with information on Ms. Fentress' whereabouts should call the Marion County Sheriff's Office at 503.588.5032

* UPDATE * - Pyrotechnic Device Sends Two People to the Hospital - 07/12/10
07/12/10:

Deputy Brian Dunkin has completed his investigation into the detonation of the pyrotechnic device on July 4th. On Saturday, July 11th, he charged Nikolaus Pries, 25, of Salem with one count of Assault II, and eleven counts of Reckless Endangering. The charges were filed as the result of the injury to the 13-year old girl and the damage done to surrounding homes and vehicles.

Pries was also injured from the detonation and only recently released form the Salem Hospital. He was contacted at his home where he is recovering from injuries to his leg. Due to his medical condition, Pries was cited and released to appear in court.

No charges are anticipated against Pries' father.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Two people were injured Sunday evening following the detonation of a home-made pyrotechnic device. Marion County Deputy Brian Dunkin received a call from the mother of a 13-year girl who was struck with metal fragments after a neighbor lit the homemade device in his front yard. The girl was reportedly 200 feet away when struck at 9:49pm. She was initially treated at Salem Hospital, but was later transported to Immanuel Hospital in Portland. She received serious lacerations to her face that narrowly missed her eye, and was also treated for a broken eye socket and bone fragments in her eye. She has since been released and is recovering at home.

The second person injured was a 25 year old neighbor of the girl who remains in Salem Hospital where he is being treated for metal shrapnel in his foot. This man was involved in the actual detonation of the device.

Deputies responded to the victim's neighborhood where they discovered numerous fragments that had penetrated the walls of neighboring homes, fences surrounding the houses, and cars parked in the area. They determined that it was detonated in the front yard of a home in the 100 block of 44th Avenue NE, Salem, where they discovered a 2 foot crater.

The 60 year resident of the home reported that he and his son had detonated the device three times during the evening. He admitted making the device from a 22" piece of seamless 1.5" pipe with welded end caps and a fuse. They filled it with an explosive powder and installed a fuse before partially burying it in the front yard. Each time they increased the amount of powder loaded into the pipe until the third detonation; which caused the injuries.

Oregon State Police explosives expert, Howard Greer responded to the scene and collected forensic evidence to assist in the investigation. Neighbors who either heard the blast, or suffered damage to their homes also called the Sheriff's Office to report the incident.

Deputy Dunkin requests that anyone living in the area who discovers damage to their home contact him at Bdunkin@co.marion.or.us . The case remains under investigation; the names of those involved are being withheld.

5th Annual "Striking Out Meth" Event Featured at the Volcanoes Stadium - 07/09/10
Methamphetamine affects the lives of many families, and especially the children in those families. It has created a huge need for foster care in Marion County. The Marion County Public Safety Coordinating Council in conjunction with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Baseball team is hosting the 5th annual "Striking Out Meth in Marion County" event, scheduled for 6:00pm, July 16th.

The second-place Volcanoes will be playing the first-place Boise Hawks.

Marion County Commissioner Patti Milne explains "The event is a celebration of our community's efforts in the fight against methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs. It includes family-friendly interactive displays, demonstrations, prizes, positive messages, fireworks and a minor league baseball game".

Sheriff Jason Myers added, "Our staff understands the importance of a supportive family unit and the need for the children to have stability in their lives. We will join in this celebration, watching the game with the kids and building relationships that we hope will last a lifetime".

Free "Striking Out Meth" t-shirts will be given out as children enter the ballpark. The popular passport to a drug-free community will be featured again this year. When children visiting each of the participant's tables have their passports fully-stamped, they can redeem it for a signed souvenir baseball.

"Bleacher Buddies" sponsorships make it possible to bring more than 300 foster children and their parents to this evening celebration and minor league baseball game.

Come out the Volcano stadium on Friday, July 16th for the "Striking Out Meth" event!

For more information go to: http://www.strikingoutmeth.org or go to http://www.youtube.com/user/marionsheriff to watch Commissioner Milne's You-Tube video on the event!

Parolee Sex Offender Capured in Idaho - 07/07/10
William Michael Althouse, 64, was arrested this morning at a roadside rest stop on Interstate 15, seven miles north of Blackfoot, Idaho. He is being held in the Bingham County jail, awaiting extradition back to Oregon.

Althouse had been on post-prison supervision since 2006. He cut his GPS monitor off and absconded from his parole officer on June 29th and has been on the run since that date.

Deputies from the Bingham County Sheriff's Office and the Idaho Highway Patrol took him into custody without incident after he was found sleeping at a campsite near his vehicle. He was arrested as a result of the "wanted" bulletin issued by our Office.

Althouse told Bingham County Deputy Rick Otterstrom that he was tired of being monitored and having his Parole Officer know his every move, so he decided to "take a vacation". He admitted staying at the rest stop campground for the past several days.

Marion County Parole Deputy Seth Prouser will work with the Oregon State Parole Board to begin the process of returning Althouse to Oregon. Prouser will also be working with detectives from Idaho to determine Althouse's activities during the time he was in Idaho without supervision.

The Sheriff's Office extends its appreciation to our law enforcement partners in Idaho for their efforts in capturing Althouse.

Sheriff Myers Creates Community Advisory Committee - 07/02/10
One of the core functions of Sheriff Jason Myers' administration is to continue to work collaboratively with our community with an emphasis on the prevention of crime, problem solving, and being responsive to the community's needs for public safety.

To assist us in achieving this function, the Office is creating a Community Advisory Committee. We are now seeking applications from interested residents or business partners living or working within Marion County. We plan to select 10-15 community members to build a committee that will reflect the diversity and various generations that make up our county.

The goal of the committee is to identify community concerns related to public safety service and livability issues and then provide input to the Sheriff's Office that will help enhance our community. It will not function as a citizen review board, and as such, will not review disciplinary or personnel actions, use of force incidents, or specific investigations.

The ideal candidate will represent not only his/her own opinions but must also be willing and able to facilitate the exchange of information between the Sheriff's Office and the community. Our expectation is that members will serve as a conduit to the community, seeking input to identify community needs and expectations and sharing it with the advisory committee.

You can find an application for this committee under the "What's New" section of the Marion County Sheriff's Office website: http://www.co.marion.or.us/SO/

The application deadline will be July 19th, 2010 or until sufficient applications have been submitted. If you have additional questions, please contactl Deputy Heath Nelson at hnelson@co.marion.or.us

Get involved and become our partner in public safety.