PORTLAND, Oregon – Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt released a list of cases impacted by the public defense crisis. The list includes felony cases dismissed by the JC3 court as a result of the crisis. 

In November, DA Mike Schmidt called the public defense crisis– defined by a lack of public defenders to provide counsel to defendants– an urgent threat to public safety. Individuals charged with a crime have a constitutional right to defense counsel. Victims have a right to justice. Absent counsel, criminal prosecutions cannot lawfully move forward, and throughout the counsel shortage, cases issued by the office have been routinely dismissed over prosecutors’ objections.

DA Schmidt also declared that MCDA would publish cases dismissed due to the crisis each week to increase transparency and advance the public’s understanding of the scope of the crisis. Here is a breakdown of the types of felonies getting dismissed.

There were 7 cases dismissed by the court as a result of the public defense crisis between 5/19/2023 and 5/25/2023:

23-CR-03307

23-CR-01796

22-CR-60376

23-CR-03276

23-CR-03308

22-CR-06105

23-CR-01797

 

#MCDA#

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt today announced that a Multnomah County jury found Michael Sperou, 72, guilty of two counts of Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree. Sperou was a pastor who, from 1988-1996, repeatedly sexually abused seven young girls whose families were members of the church. By the time the case went to trial, charges related to six of the seven girls who reported abuse fell outside the statute of limitations. 
 

First Trial

Former Deputy District Attorney Chris Mascal tried the case in 2015, when all seven women were allowed to testify based on the recently decided State v. Williams case. The DA’s Office obtained convictions on all counts of Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree. However, in 2019, the Oregon Supreme Court overturned the convictions, finding that the use of the word “victim” by witnesses was impermissible. 
 

Second Trial

Senior Deputy District Attorneys (DDAs) Charles Mickley and Melissa Marrero tried the case in 2020. During this second trial, the primary victim (whose charges fell within the statute of limitations) testified about the unlawful sexual penetration and many other forms of abuse that she suffered at the hands of Sperou and within his church. The other six women remained committed to pursuing prosecution during the second trial, and some were allowed to testify about specific incidents of abuse. 

The jury delivered an 11-1 guilty verdict in January 2020. However, later that year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that guilty verdicts must be unanimous in trials for serious crimes (Ramos v. Louisiana), and the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that the Ramos ruling applies retroactively (Watkins v. Ackley), which set up a third trial.  
 

Third Trial

Senior DDAs Charles Mickley and Melissa Marrero again prosecuted the case. The trial took place in front of Judge Andrew Lavin from May 8 to 19, 2023. The 12-person jury delivered the guilty verdict on Friday, May 19, and Sperou is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20. 

Senior DDA Marrero commented, “It’s been a long and difficult road to today’s verdict for the victims in this case—all seven of them. The criminal justice system is hard on victims, and the strength and perseverance that the victim has shown through repeated trials is admirable and important. It sends a message that she will not be silenced, and that abusers will be held accountable. We’re thankful that the jury was able to see the truth, and that Ms. Clark and the other victims of Mr. Sperou remained committed to achieving justice over the near-decade that it took to get here. They are amazing women who went through the unthinkable, and their strength led to this result.”

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UPDATE: Today, Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Christopher Marshall sentenced Logan Gimbel to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Gimbel is currently in custody in Multnomah County and will be transferred to the Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.

Original Message:

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt today announced that a Multnomah County jury found Logan Conrad Gimbel, 30, guilty of the fatal shooting of Freddy Nelson, 49, while sitting in his truck at a Lowe’s parking lot near Delta Park on May 29, 2021.

The trial took place in front of Judge Christopher Marshall from April 25 to May 8, 2023, with Senior Deputy District Attorneys Amanda Nadell and Todd Jackson as prosecutors. The 12-person jury delivered the verdict yesterday, finding Gimbel guilty of:

• One count of Murder in the Second Degree with a Firearm
• One count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a Firearm
• Two counts of Unlawful Use of Mace in the Second Degree

The jury also found Gimbel not guilty on one count of Recklessly Endangering Another Person. Gimbel is currently in custody and will be sentenced by Judge Marshall on May 23.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office thanks the Portland Police Bureau for their assistance with this case.

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Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt today announced that a Multnomah County Circuit Court judge sentenced Benjamin Louis Hooper, 38, to 129 months in prison for a carjacking that took place in 2020. A jury found Hooper guilty of:

• Four counts of Robbery in the First Degree with a Firearm
• Two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a Firearm
• One count of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle with a Firearm
• Two counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm
• One count of Assault in the Fourth Degree

On September 30, 2020, a woman was sitting in her parked car at SE 89th and Market Street when she was approached by Hooper, who demanded that she exit her vehicle while pointing a handgun in her face. The woman grabbed at Hooper, and he shot one round into the front quarter panel of her vehicle. Hooper then opened the woman’s door, threw her to the ground, and stole her purse before driving away. Items that Hooper left at the scene, video surveillance, and DNA collected from the stolen vehicle when it was recovered ultimately led to the identification of him as the suspect in this case.

The trial took place May 1-3, resulting in a guilty verdict from the 12-person jury. Judge Celia Howes imposed the 129-month prison sentence on Friday, May 19.

Hooper is currently in custody in Multnomah County and will be transported to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.

Deputy District Attorney Austin Buhl prosecuted this case. The DA’s Office thanks Portland Police Detective Kyffin Marcum for his work in identifying Hooper as the perpetrator of these crimes.

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PORTLAND, Oregon – Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt released a list of cases impacted by the public defense crisis. The list includes felony cases dismissed by the JC3 court as a result of the crisis. 

In November, DA Mike Schmidt called the public defense crisis– defined by a lack of public defenders to provide counsel to defendants– an urgent threat to public safety. Individuals charged with a crime have a constitutional right to defense counsel. Victims have a right to justice. Absent counsel, criminal prosecutions cannot lawfully move forward, and throughout the counsel shortage, cases issued by the office have been routinely dismissed over prosecutors’ objections.

DA Schmidt also declared that MCDA would publish cases dismissed due to the crisis each week to increase transparency and advance the public’s understanding of the scope of the crisis. Here is a breakdown of the types of felonies getting dismissed.

There were 3 cases dismissed by the court as a result of the public defense crisis between 5/12/2023 and 5/18/2023:

23-CR-03321

22-CR-54112

19-CR-73764

#MCDA#

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced that a Multnomah County Circuit Court judge sentenced Raziel Olam Briah, 38, to 70 months in prison for an assault at a TriMet MAX station last summer. A jury found Briah guilty of:

• One count of Assault in the Second Degree
• One Count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon
• One Count of Menacing

This conviction stems from an incident on July 27, 2022, when Briah, armed with a large knife, became fixated on a man waiting at the N. Prescott St. MAX Station. Briah charged the man, unprovoked. As the victim ran away, Briah pulled out his knife and slashed the victim’s forearm, causing a large gash and lasting effects.  

The trial took place on May 8th and 9th, resulting in a guilty verdict from the 12-person jury. Judge Jenna Plank imposed the 70-month prison sentence after the guilty verdict.

Briah is currently in custody in Multnomah County and will be transported to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.

Deputy District Attorney Julian Samuels prosecuted this case. The DA’s Office thanks TriMet partners and Transit Police for their assistance.

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PORTLAND, Oregon – Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt released a list of cases impacted by the public defense crisis. The list includes felony cases dismissed by the JC3 court as a result of the crisis. 

In November, DA Mike Schmidt called the public defense crisis– defined by a lack of public defenders to provide counsel to defendants– an urgent threat to public safety. Individuals charged with a crime have a constitutional right to defense counsel. Victims have a right to justice. Absent counsel, criminal prosecutions cannot lawfully move forward, and throughout the counsel shortage, cases issued by the office have been routinely dismissed over prosecutors’ objections.

DA Schmidt also declared that MCDA would publish cases dismissed due to the crisis each week to increase transparency and advance the public’s understanding of the scope of the crisis. Here is a breakdown of the types of felonies getting dismissed.

There were 5 cases dismissed by the court as a result of the public defense crisis between 5/5/2023 and 5/11/2023:

#MCDA#

PORTLAND, Oregon – Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt released a list of cases impacted by the public defense crisis. The list includes felony cases dismissed by the JC3 court as a result of the crisis.

In November, DA Mike Schmidt called the public defense crisis– defined by a lack of public defenders to provide counsel to defendants– an urgent threat to public safety. Individuals charged with a crime have a constitutional right to defense counsel. Victims have a right to justice. Absent counsel, criminal prosecutions cannot lawfully move forward, and throughout the counsel shortage, cases issued by the office have been routinely dismissed over prosecutors’ objections.

DA Schmidt also declared that MCDA would publish cases dismissed due to the crisis each week to increase transparency and advance the public’s understanding of the scope of the crisis. Here is a breakdown of the types of felonies getting dismissed.

There were 0 cases dismissed by the court as a result of the public defense crisis between 4/28/2023 and 5/4/2023.

#MCDA#

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt today announced that a Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge sentenced Omar Said Ahmed, 32, to 122 months in prison after a jury found him guilty of multiple charges relating to domestic violence and sexual assault. Those charges are:

• One count of Sex Abuse in the First Degree Constituting Domestic Violence
• One count of Strangulation Constituting Domestic Violence
• Four counts of Assault in the Fourth Degree Constituting Domestic Violence
• One count of Unauthorized Use of a Weapon Constituting Domestic Violence
• Two counts of Menacing Constituting Domestic Violence
• Seven counts of Burglary in the First Degree Constituting Domestic Violence
• One count of Harassment
• One count of Assaulting a Public Safety Officer
• Two counts of Attempted Assaulting a Public Safety Officer
• Two counts of Resisting Arrest

The trial took place from April 10 until April 13, 2023, when the 12-person jury delivered its verdict. The court imposed the 122-month prison sentence on May 1. Ahmed is currently in custody in Multnomah County and will be transported to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.

Deputy District Attorneys Maggie Burgess and Anneke Banda prosecuted this case. The DA’s office thanks Portland Police for their work on this case.

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Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced that Jarrid Bailey Huber, 23, pled guilty to one count of Arson in the Second Degree, one count of Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, and one count of Riot, stemming from a civil unrest event in 2021. On April 26, Judge Benjamin Soude sentenced Huber to 60 months of probation and ordered him to pay more than $20,000 in restitution to the organizations and businesses that he damaged. 

The charges stem from an incident on May 25, 2021, when a group of over 100 people assembled near the Justice Center in downtown Portland. During the incident, Huber played a part in pushing a dumpster against the Justice Center and starting a fire in it, which blocked traffic and resulted in minor damage to the building. He proceeded to vandalize multiple 

buildings downtown, including the Starbucks located at SW 2nd and Main and a jewelry store. He was ordered to pay restitution to Starbucks in the amount of $11,983 and to Estate Jewelry Co. in the amount of $8,622.

“My office issued nearly 200 protest-related cases between 2020 and 2022 for criminal prosecution, prioritizing arson, property damage, weapons offenses, theft, and person crimes,” said DA Mike Schmidt. “This case is a good example that, while it may take some time to complete the prosecutorial process, we will see these cases through and hold people accountable for destructive behavior. I’m grateful for the investigative work by Portland Police officers and detectives in this case, and for Judge Souede in issuing his sentence accordingly.”

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Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt today announced that the DA’s office will be standing up two new local task forces – one that will focus on tackling organized retail theft and one that will address auto theft. DA Schmidt was joined by Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, Mayor Ted Wheeler, and Portland Business Alliance President & CEO Andrew Hoan in making today’s announcement.

“While data indicates that overall property crime is down in Portland, both retail theft and auto theft are persistent,” said DA Mike Schmidt. “These task forces will allow us to build on current efforts in a more focused, collaborative approach. I am grateful for the support of the County and the City in dedicating funding to these efforts, and to our law enforcement and business partners with whom we will be coordinating closely.”

Both Multnomah County and the City of Portland are contributing funds to create five dedicated positions (two deputy district attorneys, two investigators, and one legal assistant) within the DA’s office to lead the task forces:

• Organized Retail Theft Task Force – a collaboration with law enforcement and retailers to address barriers to tackling retail crime, including improved strategies to address the most prolific offenders, training on loss reduction and investigative work, and case preparation. 
• Auto Theft Task Force – a collaboration with local law enforcement to reduce auto theft through improved investigations, case preparation, law enforcement training, prosecutions, and community outreach aimed at vehicle theft prevention.

“What we’re saying to our community today is: we hear your frustrations," said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. "We share your desire to see action. We want to see those responsible for these crimes held accountable. And we’re stepping up to make that happen."

"I hear from Portlanders every day who have been victims of retail and car thefts and deeply empathize with the many people in our community who are affected by criminal behavior,” said Mayor Ted Wheeler. “These task forces are a way of bolstering the strong collaboration among our law enforcement partners in the region to support the good work they are already doing. Adding prosecutorial and investigative resources to this innovative police work will move Portland forward as we work to reclaim our city from those who think they are above the law."

“It is not easy to be a business owner in Portland in 2023. Break-ins, senseless vandalism, robberies, and vehicle thefts are plaguing businesses of all sizes, especially store front businesses,” said Andrew Hoan, President & CEO of the Portland Business Alliance. “The Portland business community fully supports this multi-jurisdictional strategy and stands ready to partner with District Attorney Schmidt, Chair Vega Peterson, Mayor Wheeler, and PPB Chief Lovell in any way we can to ensure these task forces succeed.”

Also joining the press conference today were City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez, Oregon State Police Superintendent Casey Codding, Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell, Gresham Police Department Chief Travis Gullberg, and Portland Police Association President Aaron Schmautz.

The Multnomah County DA’s Office will provide ongoing updates as the task forces kick off and work progresses.

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PORTLAND, Oregon – Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt released a list of cases impacted by the public defense crisis. The list includes felony cases dismissed by the JC3 court as a result of the crisis. 

In November, DA Mike Schmidt called the public defense crisis– defined by a lack of public defenders to provide counsel to defendants– an urgent threat to public safety. Individuals charged with a crime have a constitutional right to defense counsel. Victims have a right to justice. Absent counsel, criminal prosecutions cannot lawfully move forward, and throughout the counsel shortage, cases issued by the office have been routinely dismissed over prosecutors’ objections.

DA Schmidt also declared that MCDA would publish cases dismissed due to the crisis each week to increase transparency and advance the public’s understanding of the scope of the crisis. Here is a breakdown of the types of felonies getting dismissed.

There were 0 cases dismissed by the court as a result of the public defense crisis between 4/21/2023 and 4/27/2023.

#MCDA#