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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 8, 2018)
Wednesday, August 8, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 23 Man Official: Statehouse leaders allowed hostile environment sentenced for By Andrew Selsky conduct or otherwise protect in the complaint is Dian that extends protection against individuals from the hostile Rubanoff, a private lawyer sexual harassment to student who conducted an indepen- interns. illegal reentry SALEM (AP) — Ore- environment.” Avakian, Courtney and dent investigation of Kruse Rubanoff, in an email to gon’s labor commissioner on Kotek are all Democrats. that determined he had the AP, said “those allegations accused political In response, Courtney and harassed women in the Capi- are false.” after assault Wednesday leaders in the Legislature and Kotek said in a joint state- tol building with prolonged A review of laws and poli- Associated Press PORTLAND – Sergio Martinez-Mendoza, 30, was sentenced Monday to 92 months in federal prison for illegal reentry. Upon comple- tion of his prison sentence, Martinez-Mendoza will be subject to deportation. According to court docu- ments, prior to July 2017, Martinez-Mendoza, a Mexican citizen, had been deported or removed from the U.S. 11 times, most recently in November 2016. After his 11th illegal reentry, Martinez- Mendoza committed and was convicted of two violent sex- ual assaults against two adult females in Portland. On July 24, 2017, Martinez-Mendoza broke into a home in Portland, pulled an adult female victim from her bed, bound her hands and feet, and proceeded to sexually assault her. During the assault, Martinez-Mendoza punched the victim in the head and slammed her face against the floor. Afterward, he stole $20 from the victim’s purse and fled. A few hours later, Martinez- Mendoza approached a second victim in parking garage and held a knife to her chest. He knocked a cell phone from her hand and forced her into the passenger seat of her car. The victim temporarily escaped out the passenger door, but Martinez-Mendoza caught up with her, forced her to ground, and repeatedly banged her head against the pavement. The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted Martinez-Mendoza for these offenses and, in December 2017, he was sentenced to 420 months in prison. Martinez-Mendoza previously pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of illegal reentry on February 22, 2018. “We must stop dangerous criminals with no right to be in the U.S. from returning to our streets and reoffending after completing their state sen- tences,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Giving ICE notice that a defendant is in custody on state charges is permitted under Oregon state law and could have prevented these horrific crimes. Oregonians deserve and expect more. As evidenced by this case, effec- tive communication between federal and state law enforce- ment is imperative to ensure dangerous illegal aliens are identified and deported according to law.” ment: “We welcome addi- tional scrutiny and a thorough investigation related to the Commissioner’s Complaint.” Oregon Public Broadcast- ing earlier reported on Ava- kian’s complaint, which he sent to the civil rights division of the Bureau of Labor and Industries that he heads. Avakian blamed Court- ney and Kotek for allow- ing Kruse’s office to employ two student interns, in late 2016 and early 2017, after complaints had already been made about the senator’s behavior by two female sena- tors. Courtney and Kotek are co-chairs of a committee that controls Capitol facilities and performs administrative func- tions, including personnel. Kotek, in an email to The Associated Press, responded: “As a woman and person in a position of leadership, I have absolutely taken every com- plaint that was brought to my attention seriously.” Ironically, also named officials in the state Capitol of permitting “a generally hostile environment based upon sex.” The complaint is among the latest in the #MeToo wave of sexual misconduct allega- tions against men in power to hit Oregon’s Legislature and many other statehouses nationwide. It started with an expose last year of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. In his complaint, Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian said Senate President Peter Courtney, House Speaker Tina Kotek and others failed to act quickly on complaints that then-Sen. Jeff Kruse was sex- ually harassing women. Kruse resigned in February after an investigation. Avakian said that as early as March 2016, the legislative leaders “knew or should have known of Senator Kruse’s conduct and the broader sexually hostile environment in the Capitol, but did not take immediate and appro- priate action to correct his Summer Fun $ 300 Discount FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST when you start a comprehensive treatment program. New patients only. Flexible fi nancing available. hugging, groping and other unwelcome physical contact. Kruse, a Republican from the former timber town of Rose- burg, announced his resigna- tion two days after Rubanoff’s report was released. Both interns said they had been sexually harassed by Kruse and subjected to unwanted touching. Avakian claimed that Rubanoff told the two stu- dent interns there was no legal definition of their status and no way for them to file a law- suit. Avakian noted the Leg- islature in 2013 passed a bill cies about workplace harass- ment at the Capitol is being conducted by the Oregon Law Commission at Kotek’s and Courtney’s request. In order to provide recom- mendations by year’s end, a commission workgroup has been receiving testimony and is holding a meeting on Aug. 21 at the Oregon State Bar in the Portland suburb of Tigard. Kotek and Courtney also announced Wednesday they have established a new option to report unwanted behavior, to Rubanoff, in addition to other existing avenues. WE’RE NOT JUST TIRES! We do... Alignments, Brakes, Shocks, Struts, CV Joints, U Joints, Axle Shafts, Drivelines, & Tire Siping ...not only cars, but trailers, too! DAVIS TIRE 541-549-1026 Serving Sisters Since 1962 188 W. Sisters Park Dr. In Sisters Industrial Park across from SnoCap Mini Storage Carpet • Upholstery • Tile Grout • Area Rug• Hardwood Granite & Tile Polishing g Look for us on the Web at BendCarpetCare.com Thank you for your business! 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