3A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2018
Hammond fisherman
jailed, makes bail
Bail was set at
$1 million
By JACK HEFFERNAN
The Daily Astorian
A Hammond fisherman
who allegedly committed sex
crimes and bribed and threat-
ened a young woman has
posted bail after he was sent
back to jail Friday.
Dennis Lee Sturgell Sr.,
65, violated the terms of his
release pending trial and
returned to jail Friday. Circuit
Court Judge Paula Brownhill
set bail at $1 million. Hours
after being taken to jail, he
posted $100,000 and was
released.
Sturgell allegedly commit-
ted several sex crimes against
the woman while she was
incapacitated in August 2015.
James Herbert Cunning-
ham, 47, of Astoria, was also
allegedly present and com-
mitted similar crimes, includ-
ing rape.
Oregon Assistant Attor-
ney General Erin Greenawald
is prosecuting the case, along
with Clatsop County Dep-
uty District Attorney Dawn
Buzzard.
Sturgell was charged with
13 sex crimes in November,
including first-degree sod-
omy and first-degree unlaw-
ful sexual penetration. He
then posted $50,000 bail and
was released.
In February, prosecutors
added two counts of brib-
ing and two
counts
of
tampering
with a wit-
ness. They
alleged that
Sturgell
indirectly
Dennis Lee
offered
Sturgell Sr.
the victim
money and
threatened to “hire a dream
team of attorneys” to “dig
up dirt on her” during an
encounter with her father.
In April,
Brownhill
ordered that the first bail
payment be forfeited after
Sturgell was found in viola-
tion of his release agreement
for a separate incident. He
was ordered to pay $75,000
bail. He then was booked
and posted the second bail
payment that same day.
On Friday, Brownhill
revoked Sturgell’s agree-
ment again after he failed
twice to charge his ankle
monitor — a requirement
imposed in the April release
agreement. She also ordered
that the $75,000 bail be for-
feited, bringing the total to
$125,000.
“Somehow, you need to
make it clear to Mr. Sturgell
that he needs to follow all
requirements of his release
agreement or he’s going to
lose his money,” Brown-
hill told Jason E. Thomp-
son, Sturgell’s Salem-based
attorney.
Sturgell’s next hearing is
scheduled for July.
A very Scandinavian weekend
Photos by Gary Henley/The Daily Astorian
From left to right, Miss Sweden Madalyn Hellberg, Miss Scandinavia Kourtney Tischer, Junior Miss Finland
Cheyenne Sutton and Miss Norway Kaitlyn Bakkensen enjoy a little dancing around the midsummer pole Sat-
urday. The Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival took place at the county fairgrounds over the weekend.
Two combatants go at it during a Viking battle
demonstration.
Sisters, left to right, Kara Dowaliby, Meg Dowaliby and
Mara Dowaliby dance around the midsummer pole
during Saturday’s festivities.
Astoria man robbed at
gunpoint in his home
The Daily Astorian
An Astoria man was robbed
at gunpoint in his house Friday
night.
The man returned to his
home on Alameda Avenue
just after 7:30 p.m. and found
a strange man inside. When
confronted, the man pointed a
gun directly at him. The victim
then ran to a nearby restaurant
and called police.
Police searched the house
and set up a perimeter but
were unable to find the man,
who had left with some of the
victim’s property.
About four hours later,
a Clatsop County Sheriff’s
Office deputy located a man
who fit the description of the
suspect near the New Youngs
Bay Bridge. Michael Todd
Warner, 42, was allegedly
found in possession of a sto-
len handgun and arrested and
charged with felon in posses-
sion of weapons and posses-
sion of a firearm. He was later
charged with first-degree bur-
glary and first-degree robbery
after the victim’s property was
found.
Perry Browning, aka, the Astoria Troll, greets a
young admirer.
Grand Marshal Sven Sundstrom of Astoria, who took
part in the first Scandinavian Festival in 1968, sings
the national anthem of Sweden for Saturday’s flag
raising.
Oregon Democrats blast ‘shameful’ Trump immigration policy
Associated Press
SHERIDAN — Dem-
ocratic members of Ore-
gon’s congressional delega-
tion visited a federal prison
Saturday where immigrants
from Latin America have
been transferred and blasted
the Trump administration
for separating parents from
children.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said
that “what we saw over the
last hour demonstrates that
the Trump ‘zero tolerance’
policy makes zero sense and
shows zero understanding of
American values.”
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merk-
ley and U.S. Reps. Suzanne
Bonamici and Earl Blume-
nauer also toured the facility
in Sheridan.
“I think this is a shame-
ful moment. It’s outrageous.
We are criminalizing people
who are persecuted,” Blume-
nauer said.
Bonamici said children
were being taken from their
parents’ arms because of
federal policies.
About 120 immigrants
from Mexico and Cen-
tral America are reportedly
being held at the prison in
Sheridan, near Salem.
The administration is
sending more than 1,600
immigrants — including
some parents whose children
were taken from them by
U.S. officials — to federal
prisons because other jails
lack space.
Authorities say immi-
grants there entered the U.S.
illegally.
Attorney General Jeff
Sessions recently announced
a zero-tolerance policy
6
FREE
$
COFFEE OR SODA
(add whiskey because you’re retired)
Lunch
Special
Half Sandwich
Cup of Soup
Meatloaf
BLT
Grilled Cheese
Tuna
Egg Salad
-
-
-
-
-
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
- Under the Bridge -
281 W. Marine Drive
Astoria • 503-338-7291
Are You Losing “Family Care”?
I’M HERE TO HELP!
Steve Putman
Medicare Products
503-440-1076
putmanagency@gmail.com
www.medicarehelpsus.com
Licensed in Oregon and Washington
involving people cross-
ing the border illegally. As
a result, more children are
expected to be separated
from their parents.
Attorneys seeking to rep-
resent the detainees in Ore-
gon have said that they
aren’t being given legal
representation.
The Oregonian reported
that some lawyers were able
to meet with detainees on
Thursday but not on Friday.
Carissa Cutrell, a spokes-
woman for Immigration
and Customs Enforcement,
said the agency is work-
ing to ensure that detainees
have appropriate access to
lawyers.
The Bureau of Prisons
denied an AP request to visit
the medium security facil-
ity to access the conditions
faced by the immigrants.
The most valuable and
respected source of local news,
advertising and information for
our communities.
www.eomediagroup.com
LEWIS & CLARK
TIMBERLANDS
Recreational Access
Permit Public Notice
All recreational
activities on Lewis
& Clark Timberlands
Oregon will require
a no fee recreational
permit effective
June 1, 2018
To acquire a permit (available 5/21/18): Go
online to greenwoodresources.com and click
on Recreation Access, or Scan the QR code
using your smartphone at one of our access
gate signs. Call 503.755.6655 for recorded
information.
Our goal is to provide a quality recreational
experience while improving communications
with our timberland visitors.
Cutrell said ICE is com-
mitted to connecting family
members as quickly as pos-
sible after separation so par-
ents know where their chil-
dren are and have regular
communication with them
in accordance with ICE pol-
icies and detention standards
Earlier this month, Merk-
ley said he tried to enter a
federal facility in Browns-
ville, Texas, where immi-
grant children are being
held, but police were called
and he was told to leave.
Merkley was accused of
grandstanding by the Depart-
ment of Health and Human
Services’ Administration for
Children and Families.
The agency said concerns
about the safety, security and
dignity of the children led to
Merkley being kept from the
Texas facility.
WANTED
Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber
Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA
Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500
Fort Stevens Park and Friends of Old Fort Stevens
O BSERVE THE
76 th A NNIVERSARY OF THE
J UNE 21, 1942
J APANESE S UBMARINE A TTACK
ON THE F ORT
Wednesday, June 21
Noon-4 pm
On the date of the attack, an interpreter
will be at Battery Russell and the
Pacific Rim Peace Memorial with displays
and information about the attack.
June 21, 1992: The 50th Anniversary of the Japanese attack.
Over 150 Fort Stevens veterans gathered at Battery Russell to
remember the event and to dedicate the Pacific Rim Peace Memorial.
Sponsored by The Friends of Old Fort
Stevens and Fort Stevens State Park
503-861-2000 • visitfortstevens.com