Lane County Mugshots ©

Lane County, OR  — On January 30, detectives from the Lane County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police served search warrants at two separate residences in connection with ongoing investigations into child exploitation. Ralph Anthony Pocza , 41, was arrested at a home in the 900 block of W. 1st Avenue in Junction City. He faces 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree and 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree. Pocza was booked into the Lane County Jail. Later, authorities executed a second search warrant at a residence in the 26800 block of Petzold Road , southwest of Eugene, where Gregory John Shepherd , 60, was taken into custody. Shepherd also faces 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree and 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree. He, too, is being held at the Lane County Jail. Both arrests stemmed from separate investigations by the Lane County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force....

LANE COUNTY, Ore. — A 43-year-old Lane County man has been sentenced to over 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to three sex crime charges.  Judah Chester Lewis Hanenkrat , also known as Judah Lemon, entered his guilty plea on January 24, 2025, to two counts of Sodomy in the First Degree and one count of Attempt to Commit Sodomy in the First Degree, a Class B Felony. Court records show Hanenkrat received a 100-month sentence for each of the sodomy charges and a 75-month sentence for the attempt to commit felony charge. According to jail records, the two sodomy sentences will run concurrently, while the attempt to commit charge will run consecutively, totaling more than 14 years in prison. (If we receive more information on this sentence, we will update this article) Hanenkrat’s uncalculated end-of-sentence date is August 28, 2039, though this does not include credit for time served in county lock-up.  Due to the nature of the charges, Hanenkrat will be required to serve ...

EUGENE, Ore. — In an effort to combat retail theft in west Eugene, three Eugene Police officers were reassigned from their regular duties on January 22 to focus on cases as part of an Organized Retail Crime Association grant. The officers worked closely with loss prevention teams from Coastal Farm, Home Depot, Target, Walmart, and Wilco. Loss prevention teams were contacted and told to call the officers if they had a subject of interest. Officers then responded to calls about suspects involved in theft or aggressive behavior toward staff. The officers prioritized arrests of prolific thieves and those who posed a threat to store employees. Several individuals were arrested and lodged in jail on various charges: Emily Marie Kovachy , 27, was arrested on two felony warrants and probable cause for Theft in the Second Degree. Bryan Wayne Beaudro , 35, was arrested on a Florence Municipal Court warrant and probable cause for Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree. Charles Morris Zencius , 49...

EUGENE, Ore. — A quick response by Eugene Police led to the arrest of two individuals after a vehicle was confirmed to be stolen. At 1:03 p.m. on January 28, officers responded to reports of a possibly intoxicated male driver at the 7-Eleven gas station located at 3744 W. 11th Avenue at Bailey Hill Road. Upon arrival, officers discovered the vehicle was stolen. Officers successfully pinned the vehicle and challenged the occupants. Both individuals were taken into custody without incident. TYLER JAMES TEED , age 31, was arrested and then booked into the Lane County Jail for felony possession of a stolen vehicle, and a warrant for 2023 DUII.  Information from the Eugene Police Department - photo by Samuel MacCracken Smith - mugshot from arrests dot org - booking information from the Lane County Jail.  Michael Weber, known for his extensive coverage of crime news in Lane County, continues to provide valuable updates to the local community. He runs the largest crime watch gro...

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — A theft at WinCo on Olympic Street led to the arrest of two suspects on January 24, 2025. Officers with the Springfield Police Department (SPD) responded to the scene at 12:27 p.m. after loss prevention personnel reported observing a theft. The suspect, 47-year-old Norman Scott Olson of Eugene, was seen shoplifting before getting into a white Ford F150 in the parking lot. SPD dispatch confirmed Olson’s identity and found he had four felony warrants, including charges for eluding police, theft, possession of heroin, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Recognizing the potential danger, SPD officers strategically blocked Olson’s vehicle with patrol cars. Officers informed him of his outstanding warrants and the probable cause for theft from the incident. Olson refused to comply, while his passenger, 37-year-old Grace Anne Short , also from Eugene, began searching the vehicle. Short was found to have an outstanding warrant as well. Despite efforts to de-escal...

EUGENE, Ore. — A tense situation unfolded on January 26 when Eugene Police responded to reports of a man throwing items, including glass, from a sixth-story window in the 1000 block of Ferry Street . The disturbance, which took place around 2:47 p.m., prompted an immediate response from local authorities. The man, later identified as 33-year-old David Andrew Everett Abare , was reportedly throwing various objects into a parking lot commonly used by other residents of the building. Eugene Police (EPD) had responded to the location multiple times in the past. Upon arrival, EPD deployed a drone to assess the situation and observed red liquid splattered on several windows and the interior of Abare's apartment. Officers attempted to contact Abare by phone, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The suspect had an outstanding warrant, and authorities had probable cause for his arrest. The EPD Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) was called in to help de-escalate the situation and communicate with...

EUGENE, Ore. – A stabbing early this morning has led to the arrest of a 41-year-old man. Central Lane 911 received a call at 1:44 a.m. regarding a stabbing near Jackson’s Market at 1080 W. 7th Avenue . When Eugene Police officers arrived, they found a 47-year-old male victim at the scene. The suspect had already fled the area. The victim was promptly transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries. Eugene Police officers, along with a K9 unit, worked quickly to search the area for the suspect. The Violent Crimes Unit was also called in to assist with the investigation. Within hours, authorities located the suspect, identified as 41-year-old Nicholas Matthew Arnold , and took him into custody without incident. Arnold has been charged with First-Degree Assault. He has been booked into Lane County Jail, with case number 25-01467, in connection with the stabbing that occurred early this morning, January 26, 2025. In addition to this incident, Arnold is also a suspect in a st...

EUGENE, Ore. – A woman was attacked by two dogs on January 11, 2025 , while walking near the 2500 block of Tyler Street in Eugene. The woman reported that a Rottweiler mix jumped on her back, biting her right shoulder and causing her to fall. Once on the ground, the Rottweiler bit her right arm severely. A second dog, a brown Pitbull mix , then bit her on the left wrist. The victim was taken to a local hospital, where she was treated for injuries, including a fractured ulna . Eugene Animal Services later took the Rottweiler mix into custody and impounded it at Greenhill . The dog was classified as a Potentially Dangerous Dog Level 5 , and the owner complied with Eugene’s Animal Regulations on January 22 . However, the second dog involved in the attack, the brown Pitbull mix , was driven away from the scene by a woman in a Chevy Silverado pickup truck . The truck had a female driver and the dog in the passenger seat. Eugene Police and Animal Services are asking for the public'...

EUGENE, Ore. – Thomas Matthew Dunlap , 37, of Eugene, has been sentenced to 36 months in the Oregon State Department of Corrections after being convicted of several crimes, including Burglary in the First Degree and Theft in the Third Degree . Dunlap, who has a history of targeting campus-area residences near the University of Oregon, was convicted of crimes in two separate incidents. In one case, Dunlap accessed the laundry room of an apartment complex on two occasions. To gain entry to a storage unit, he used a torch-lighter to burn the door before stealing a ladder. In another recent case, Dunlap was caught on surveillance cameras attempting to look through the windows of female residents in Eugene’s west university area. When he noticed he was being filmed, he attempted to destroy the camera with a torch-lighter and later stole it. Investigators found burn marks on the windows and removed window screens consistent with Dunlap’s actions. Dunlap's criminal history includes num...

LANE COUNTY, Ore.  – The Lane County District Attorney’s Office has filed two felony sex charges involving a minor against 42-year-old  Keith William Berkner . Berkner, who is listed as the license-exempt owner of  Keith Berkner Home Daycare  on winnie.com, was arrested this week by  Florence Police  and booked into the  Lane County Jail  yesterday. He faces the following charges: Sex Abuse 1st Degree ( ORS 163.427 )  – felony Sodomy 1st Degree ( ORS 163.405 )  – felony According to court records, these alleged crimes took place on December 27th, 2024. If convicted of the measure 11 charge first-degree sodomy , and being the victim is under the age of 12,  Jessica's Law for Oregon  (HB 3511) could apply to sentencing. This law allows a  minimum 25-year sentence  with no possibility of early release or good time for offenders convicted of certain sex crimes and kidnapping involving children under 12. The use of J...

EUGENE, Ore. – Nicholas Scott Roberts, 32, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to seven counts of Sodomy in the First Degree .  These charges, which are classified as Class A felonies and Measure 11 crimes , stem from crimes committed by Roberts in 2015. Under Oregon’s Measure 11 law, Roberts will serve a 25-year sentence without the possibility of early release, minus any time he has already spent in county lock-up.  The sentencing was made possible by the efforts of Eugene Police detectives, who recorded a call between Roberts and the victim in which Roberts detailed his crimes against the victim. A key factor in the sentencing was Jessica's Law for Oregon , or HB 3511 , which allows the option of a minimum 25-year sentence for certain sex crimes and kidnapping offenses involving victims under the age of 12. This law played a significant role in Roberts being sentenced to 25 years in prison today. Roberts was arrested on January 25, 2024 , and is now awaiting transf...

EUGENE, OR . - At 4:18 p.m. on January 22, Eugene Police responded to the scene of the crash involving a Honda Odyssey, Nissan Rogue, and Oldsmobile Bravada.  The Honda Odyssey, driven by a 68-year-old woman, was stopped in traffic behind a Nissan Rogue when the Oldsmobile Bravada rear-ended the Honda, sending it into the Nissan. The 46-year-old male driver of the Nissan Rogue sustained injuries and was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Oldsmobile, 57-year-old Patrick Frederick McColligan , was contacted by officers and found to be driving without a valid license. McColligan had been cited on January 9, 2025, for Driving While Suspended and also had an outstanding warrant out of Florence for the same offense. His 52-year-old female passenger was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. As a result of the crash, McColligan was arrested on multiple charges, including Driving While Suspended (Misdemeanor), ...

  Eugene, Ore. – While police are primarily associated with responding to crime, part of the Eugene Police Department’s mission is also to protect the public by checking on the well-being of individuals who may be in peril. A recent welfare check in Eugene may have helped save a man’s life, thanks to the coordinated response of CAHOOTS, Eugene Police, and Eugene Springfield Fire. On January 20th, a local employer became concerned when an employee failed to show up for work. Worried about the man’s well-being, the employer called the police to conduct a welfare check. CAHOOTS, the community service agency that provides support in mental health and welfare checks, initially responded by phone before sending a team to the man’s apartment. When CAHOOTS arrived and knocked on the door, there was no answer. Two Eugene Police officers were called to the scene to assist. After gathering enough information, the officers determined that it was necessary to enter the apartment under the lega...

Eugene, Ore. – 35-year-old Kerry Michael Diamond was arrested today by Eugene Police on charges stemming from new incidents. Diamond faces the following probable cause charges: Disorderly Conduct 2nd Degree ( ORS 166.025 ) – misdemeanor - x3 Failure to Report as a Sex Offender ( ORS 163A.040(3)(A) ) – misdemeanor Sex Abuse 3rd Degree ( ORS 163.415 ) – misdemeanor These new charges are unrelated to a prior case from June 2024, when Diamond was arrested after allegedly following a woman into a store near W. 11th Avenue and Seneca Road. In that case, he was accused of soliciting the woman for sex and exposing himself. Diamond was arrested for Public Indecency, and during the investigation, detectives discovered social media posts suggesting there could be other victims. DIAMOND - 2024  The 2024 case, involves behavior such as exposing  himself to women and children, propositioning  women for sex in exchange for money, and engaging  in public masturbation. Investigat...

Eugene, Ore. – A 47-year-old man was hospitalized after a rollover crash on Beltline Highway westbound near Delta last night.  Eugene Police officers responded to the scene at 10:32 p.m. where a Honda Accord, reported to be speeding, lost control and crashed into a field, taking out several guardrail posts along the way. The driver, identified as John David Allen, was found trapped with his arm pinned under the vehicle. Eugene Springfield Fire crews worked to extricate him. Allen appeared intoxicated and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. After an investigation, Allen was cited in lieu of custody for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII) and Reckless Driving. His vehicle was impounded. The incident is under investigation, with the case listed under number 25-01195. Information from EPD Michael Weber, known for his extensive coverage of crime news in Lane County, continues to provide valuable updates to the local community. He runs the largest crime wat...

EUGENE, Ore. – Lonnie Edward Huddleston was transferred to Coffee Creek Correctional Facility for intake today after being sentenced earlier this month for a series of armed robberies. Huddleston, pled guilty to six counts of first-degree robbery, and according to jail records, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The exact details of his sentence has not been made public at this time. We will update this article if we find more information on his sentencing.  The charges stem from a string of armed robberies at Everyone’s Market on Echo Hollow Road and one on River Road between 2021 and 2024. Robbery in the first degree is a measure 11 offence/crime. As such Huddleston will have to serve each and every day of his sentence minus any time in county lock up.  Huddleston's case is officially listed under Case Number 24CR14925. Jail record:  https://inmateinformation.lanecounty.org/Home/BookingSearchDetail?BookingNumber=24002302 Original KEZI story:  https://www.kezi.com...

VENETA, Ore. – Authorities have arrested 33-year-old Charles Guy Younkin-Stec of Veneta in connection with a series of burglaries and thefts that took place in the area over the past several months. On January 20th, a Lane County Sheriff’s sergeant stopped a vehicle on Suttle Road and Territorial Highway in Elmira for several traffic violations. The driver, 33-year-old Lacey Rae Hadley, was believed to be associated with Younkin-Stec, who had multiple warrants for his arrest. Deputies had probable cause to arrest him for several recent cases and were also investigating him for similar crimes in neighboring jurisdictions. During the stop, a male passenger refused to identify himself, but after assistance from dispatchers, the sergeant determined he was Younkin-Stec. He was arrested without incident and booked into the Lane County Jail. First Degree Theft (Case #24-5636, #24-4418, #24-5833, #24-2161) Second Degree Theft (Case #SPM 24-02690, Case #24-6806) Second Degree Burglary (Case #...

Lane County, Ore. – On January 14th, Lane County Sheriff’s deputies began investigating the theft of two trailers from a storage facility located in the 86200 block of College View Road, Eugene . Deputies quickly determined that the trailers had been stolen by two renters, later identified as Joshua Adam Hemion , 46, and Kimberly Ann Hemion , 48, both of Fall Creek. As part of the investigation, a Lane County Sheriff’s detective applied for a search warrant for a property located in the 38800 block of Fall Creek. The warrant was granted, and on January 16th, detectives and deputies served the warrant at the suspect property. The search led to the recovery of both stolen trailers, along with many of the items that had been inside the trailers at the time of the theft. This successful recovery marks a significant break in the case. Authorities have not yet indicated whether any additional arrests are expected as the investigation continues. Both Joshua Hemion and Kimberly Hemion are fa...

Lane County, Ore. – On January 16th, at approximately 7 a.m., a local resident in the Triangle Lake area of Highway 36 reported observing three individuals starting a fire on private property. The individuals matched the description of suspects linked to a recent wire theft in the region. Deputies quickly responded to the scene and made contact with the suspects. Two of the individuals were found to have outstanding arrest warrants. However, the third suspect, identified as 56-year-old Craig Leon Beaty, fled the area. A Lane County Sheriff’s detective soon joined the investigation. Authorities were able to locate stolen wire, which provided sufficient evidence to arrest all three individuals in connection to the wire theft. The two suspects with warrants were taken into custody and lodged at the Lane County Jail: Kenneth Lee Wilson , 50, of Florence, faces charges of Theft in the 1st Degree , Burglary in the 2nd Degree , and Failure to Report as a Sex Offender . He also had three outst...

EUGENE, ORE — The year is 1899, and Eugene, Oregon, is still reeling from a chilling crime that would forever shape the city’s dark history. The brutal murder of rancher John Linn sent shockwaves through the McKenzie River Valley. The culprits? Two young farmhands, Claude Henry Branton and Courtland Green. They thought Linn was carrying a small fortune of $1,000, but after killing him, they found just $65 in his possession. A far cry from their expectations, and the start of a series of botched cover-ups. From Branton's failed disguise attempts—donning a fake beard to impersonate Linn—to the pair’s failed attempt to sell the stolen horses, their desperate efforts were doomed from the start. While Branton fled the state, Green, ridden with guilt, confessed and received a life sentence. Branton, unaware of the fate that awaited him, returned to Eugene, was arrested, and became the first person officially executed by hanging in Lane County in 1899. But the tale doesn’t end there. Fast...

EUGENE, Ore. – A 38-year-old Junction City man was arrested on January 15th after a suspicious vehicle was found parked outside the Lane County Public Service Building in Eugene. Around 7:30 a.m., a Lane County Sheriff’s sergeant noticed the vehicle, which was illegally parked near the intersection of Pearl Street and 8th Avenue. The car belonged to William Ray Lighty , who had been reported the night before as suicidal and possibly armed with a handgun. Authorities say Lighty appeared to be sleeping in the driver’s seat when deputies arrived on scene. Given the previous report and the vehicle's proximity to the Public Service Building, several deputies responded to the scene. Using a drone, deputies carefully inspected the vehicle from the outside. Lighty was initially uncooperative but eventually complied with instructions and was safely detained. A search of the vehicle revealed ammunition, but no firearms were found. Deputies also observed signs that Lighty was impaired. After ...

  No Eugene City Jail Discuss meaningful changes in the justice system before discussing a municipal jail By Michael Weber The conversation around the need for a new municipal jail in Eugene has been gaining traction in local Facebook groups like Lane County Mugshots Uncensored . As the discussion grows, I find myself questioning whether we really need additional jail space when the existing facilities in the area are nowhere near full capacity. As of mid-January, the Springfield Municipal Jail is holding just 54 inmates, out of a possible 98. Meanwhile, the Lane County Jail currently houses 277 inmates, with a capacity for 507 .  These figures raise a simple question: Why are we even discussing building a Eugene municipal jail when the county jail we already have is underutilized? Some clarification is needed here on the Lane County Jail's bed capacity. Claims have recently surfaced stating that the facility is now a 411-bed jail. However, that assertion is misleading. The La...

VENETA, Ore. – Authorities have arrested a Veneta man in connection with a series of burglaries that occurred in the area over a two-week period in October of 2024. Lane County Sheriff's Deputies identified Austin James Blaylock, 30, of Veneta, as a suspect in the burglaries of a local restaurant, residence, and market. After serving search warrants at two residences connected to Blaylock, deputies located evidence linking him to the crimes. Blaylock was arrested and booked into the Lane County Jail on multiple charges, including two counts of Burglary in the First Degree, four counts of Burglary in the Second Degree, five counts of Theft in the First Degree, Theft in the Second Degree, and Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree. As of January 14th, Blaylock remains in custody. Deputies also identified Charles Guy Younkin-Stec, 33, of Veneta, as an additional suspect in the burglaries. In the process of investigating, deputies applied for and were granted a search warrant for Younk...