Gresham Police Searching For Missing 70 Year Old (Photo) - 06/19/26

RELEASE DATE:               June 19, 2026
CASE NUMBER:                 26-27704

Gresham, Ore—Gresham Police is asking for the public’s assistance with locating a missing 70-year-old man.

Richard Fay left a doctor's appointment and was last seen at 1722 northwest 12 court at 10:00 AM.  He is diagnosed with Schizophrenia and takes medication for it daily.  Recently his family has become more concerned about his cognitive abilities as he can become confused easily. Richard is described as 5-feet 8-inches tall and weighs 156 pounds.  He has grey hair and blue eyes.  Richard was last seen wearing a striped shirt, jean shorts, and white tennis shoes.

If anyone has information about Richard's whereabouts, they are asked to call the non-emergency line at 503-823-3333 and reference 26-27704.

#30

UPDATE: LOCATED. Police Asking For Help Locating Two Missing Children (Photo) - 06/09/26

UPDATE 6/9/26 10:01 PM: Lillian and Bethen have both returned home safe.  

ORIGINAL ALERT:

Gresham, Ore.— Gresham Police are asking for assistance from the public to locate two missing children.  Eleven-year-old Lillian Fasil and 12-year-old Bethel Samson were last seen near NW Burnside Rd and NW Wallula Ave in Gresham late Tuesday morning. 

Lillian is 5’3” tall, weighs 120 pounds, has long black hair, and was last seen wearing a pink jacket, white pants with a pink rose design, and brown sandals.  She may be carrying a pink and purple backpack. 

Bethel is 5’6” tall, weighs 150 pounds, and was last known to be wearing a black jacket, black pants, black slippers, and carrying a black backpack. 

Due to their age, police are concerned for Lillian and Bethel’s safety.  Anyone with information on their location is asked to call non-emergency police dispatch at 503-823-3333. 

Gresham Man Indicted On Child Exploitation Charges (Photo) - 06/04/26

Gresham, Ore. — A Multnomah County Grand Jury has indicted an 18-year-old Gresham man on multiple felony charges following a child exploitation investigation conducted by the Gresham Police Department.

On April 15, 2026, detectives and members of the East Metro SWAT team served a search warrant at an apartment in the 19500 block of NE Halsey St. Investigators seized two cellular phones believed to belong to Tony Melnik, 18.

The investigation, led by Detective Brendan Walker, began after CyberTips were received from Discord, Kik and Meta through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The reports alleged Melnik uploaded child sexually abusive material, shared videos in private chats and attempted to lure a minor online.

Following the search warrant, Detective Walker obtained an additional warrant signed by a Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge authorizing a forensic examination of the seized devices.

Gresham Police Detective Long, who is assigned to the Northwest Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (RCFL), worked with Detective Wright to analyze evidence recovered from the devices. During that examination, investigators uncovered messages discussing plans to sexually abuse children in person.

The evidence was presented to a Multnomah County Grand Jury, which returned an indictment on April 23 charging Melnik with:

• Eight counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree
• Three counts of Attempted Using a Child in a Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct
• One count of Online Sexual Corruption of a Child in the Second Degree

"Protecting children from online exploitation remains a top priority for the Gresham Police Department," said Chief Travis Gullberg. "This investigation demonstrates the impact of our community's investment in public safety through the Community Safety Levy. Because of that support, we were able to hire experienced investigators like Detective Brendan Walker, who joined our department with valuable investigative experience and immediately began working complex cases. The work of Detective Walker, Detective Long, Detective Wright and our law enforcement partners helped identify evidence that led to these serious charges. We are grateful to our community for providing the resources needed to protect children and hold offenders accountable."

The investigation remains ongoing.

#30

Don Livingston Promoted To Assistant Chief Of Gresham Police Department (Photo) - 06/02/26

RELEASE DATE:         June 2, 2026

Gresham, Ore.—The Gresham Police Department is pleased to announce the promotion of Don Livingston to Assistant Chief. Livingston took the Oath of Office today and formally assumed his new role within the department.

Assistant Chief Livingston began his law enforcement career in 1996 with the Medford Police Department. In 1998, he joined the Portland Police Bureau, where he served in a variety of assignments and leadership positions until his retirement in 2023. In 2024, he joined the Gresham Police Department, bringing nearly three decades of law enforcement experience.

As commander of the Special Operations Division, Livingston has led investigations, the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT), the Crisis Negotiation Team, K-9, drones, and other specialized units.

Throughout his career, Livingston has served in the Training Division, Gang Enforcement Team, Special Emergency Reaction Team, and as SWAT Commander. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Oregon and is a graduate of the FBI LEEDA Trilogy series.

Chief Travis Gullberg said, "Don's appointment to Assistant Chief is well deserved. We look forward to his continued leadership and the positive contributions he will bring to our department."

Today's Oath of Office ceremony follows the retirement of Assistant Chief Andrew Shearer. The Gresham Police Department thanks Assistant Chief Shearer for his service and leadership during his time with the agency and wishes him the best in retirement.

Crash Leaves Driver Critically Injured In Gresham (Photo) - 05/29/26

Gresham, Ore.— Gresham Police are investigating a crash which left one person with life-threatening injuries.   Shortly before 5:30 P.M., police and medical personnel responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash near NE 181^st Ave and NE Couch St in Gresham.  Officers determined the involved vehicle left the roadway, struck a utility pole, and came to rest against a nearby apartment building.  The driver was ejected from the vehicle.  They were transported to a local hospital in critical condition. 

The apartment building suffered minor, non-structural damage.  Roads and traffic lights in the area were impacted for several hours while utility crews worked to repair the utility pole and damaged wires.  The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.  

This crash is a reminder of the importance of wearing a seatbelt while travelling in a motor vehicle.   Research has shown proper seatbelt use virtually eliminates the chance of being ejected from a vehicle, even during a roll-over crash.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that using lap and shoulder seat belts reduces the risk of front seat passenger car deaths by 45%, and moderate-to-critical injuries by 50%.  The results are even more significant for the occupants of light trucks.