Oregon Man Faces Serious Sex Trafficking, Rape, and Sodomy Charges in Lane County

 


EUGENE, Ore. — A 34-year-old Lane County man was arrested in Arizona after a nationwide warrant was issued in connection with a Eugene Police Department investigation into sex trafficking and sexual assaults.
Colten Roan Watson was taken into custody Friday in Scottsdale on the warrant stemming from EPD Case 25-17513. He faces charges including human trafficking, promoting prostitution, compelling prostitution, first-degree rape, and sodomy involving two women in Eugene.

According to court documents, Watson is accused of raping one woman and committing sodomy, human trafficking, and forcing prostitution against a second woman. He also faces additional counts of burglary, and stealing a vehicle from one of the victims. The alleged crimes occurred between September and December 2025.

Eugene Police began investigating Watson’s activities in late 2025. In early April 2026, a nationwide indictment warrant was issued for his arrest on multiple felonious sexual assault charges. Other agencies also have pending cases against him.

On April 5, 2026, an out-of-state agency stopped Watson’s vehicle for a cellphone violation and arrested him on the outstanding warrants. He was later transported back to Oregon.

At this time, the Eugene Police Department is releasing limited information on the ongoing sex trafficking/rape investigation. Additional details will be provided as EPD makes more information public. This remains an active investigation.
The charges filed in Lane County Circuit Court under case number 26CR17990 are:
  • Trafficking in Persons (ORS 163.266) – Felony
  • Prostitution-Promoting (ORS 167.012) – Felony
  • Rape in the First Degree (ORS 163.375) – Felony, Measure 11
  • Sodomy in the First Degree (ORS 163.405) – Felony, Measure 11
  • Prostitution-Compelling (ORS 167.017) – Felony, Measure 11
  • Burglary in the First Degree (ORS 164.225) – Felony
  • Robbery in the Third Degree (ORS 164.395) – Felony
  • Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle (ORS 164.135) – Felony
Oregon’s Measure 11 laws mandate minimum prison sentences for several of these offenses, meaning those convicted must serve the full term without eligibility for early release, good time credits, or parole reductions (though time already spent in custody is credited).
Watson was previously arrested by Idaho State Police on October 15, 2025, in Ada County, Idaho, on misdemeanor charges including possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting or obstructing officers. His mugshot from that arrest is the feature picture here.
As with all criminal defendants, Watson is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Support for local journalism is essential, and donations for the author, Michael Weber, can be made to the following:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Former NWCCU Employee Charged in Embezzlement Involving Deceased Members' Accounts

Image
Eugene, Ore. — A 50-year-old former employee of Northwest Community Credit Union , now known as Peak Credit Union, has been charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts after allegedly embezzling funds by accessing the accounts of at least 20 deceased members, according to the Eugene Police Department. The investigation began on September 5, 2025, when the credit union contacted police to report suspected embezzlement by Teresa Lynn Margiotta during her employment. Authorities allege, that from at least August 2023, through February 2025, she transferred money from the deceased members' accounts into her own personal accounts for personal gain. Margiotta faces the following local 66 charges in Lane County: 38 counts of ORS 165.013 Forgery in the First Degree (Felony) 20 counts of ORS Computer Crime (Misdemeanor) 4 counts of ORS 164.057 Theft in the First Degree Aggravated (Felony) 4 counts of ORS 165.803 Aggravated Identity Theft (Felony) The EPD agency case number is 25-14...
Read more

Body Found at Gates Cemetery Identified, Investigation Ongoing

Image
Crow, Or - On April 25th at approximately 11 a.m., Lane County Sheriff's deputies and detectives responded to Gates Cemetery, south of Crow, following reports from local residents of a deceased person on the property.  The deceased has been identified as Megan Joe Landig , 44, of Eugene. The circumstances of her death are still under investigation, and no further details are available at this time. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Lane County Sheriff's Office at 541-682-4141, referencing Case #25-1968. 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 group in Lane County,  Lane County Mugshots Uncensored , which currently has over 87,700 members. Support for local journalism is essential, and donations can be made via Venmo to @Michael-Weber-379 (last four digits of phone number: 0825). You can also follow me on X:  https://x.com/Mugsh...
Read more

Fatal Head-On Crash on Hwy 126 West Shuts Down Road for 8 Hours

Image
EUGENE, Ore. – A deadly three-vehicle collision on Highway 126 West just west of KR Neilsen Road in Lane County claimed one life and left another driver seriously injured Friday afternoon, November 7, 2025. Oregon State Police responded around 3:15 p.m. to reports of the crash. The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound Honda Accord, operated by Russell Fredrick Moncrief (52) of Eugene, braked suddenly and was struck in the rear by a westbound Chevrolet Silverado, operated by Scott Allen Zipprich (52) of Elmira. The collision caused the Chevrolet to enter the eastbound lane and strike an eastbound Dodge Stratus, operated by Vincent George Canham (84) of Eugene, head-on. The operator of the Honda (Moncrief) was reportedly uninjured. The operator of the Chevrolet (Zipprich) was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. The operator of the Dodge (Canham) was declared deceased after being transported to an area hospital. A passenger in the Dodge, Rolf Bertel Johansson...
Read more