COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL APRIL 25, 2018 5A
Cottage Grove Retrospective
A look back at Sentinel stories from 30 and 60 years ago
Investigation leads to drug raids, 16 arrests
Sentinel Staff of 1988
A two-month undercover investigation
into drug activities in Cottage Grove
culminated Friday morning in a series of
raids in the area and led to the arrest of 16
people on drug-related charges.
The raids on four residences, three in
Cottage Grove and one in Creswell, were
conducted by a Springfi eld Police SWAT
team and offi cers from the Cottage Grove
and Springfi eld police departments. Ten
Oregon State Troopers also were involved.
No injuries resulted from the raids and no
shots were fi red. Cottage Grove medics
stood by in case of trouble and two staff
members of Lane County District Attorney’s
offi ce witnessed the operation.
A drug-sniffi ng dog helped fi nd four
ounces of methamphetamine at the
residence. Smaller amounts of the drug
were found in the other raids along with a
small amount of marijuana.
While local police were pleased with its
results, the investigation revealed some
alarming facts about Cottage Grove.
Don Bond, a Springfi eld police offi cer,
POLICE BLOTTER
began undercover work on the case last
February. He was involved in 25 hand-to
hand buys in two months of undercover
investigation.
“Buying drugs in this town is as easy as
going to the 7-11,” Bond said, adding that it
might be easier because you don’t have to
wait in line to buy drugs.
Bond, who has been with the Springfi eld
police for 14 years and is a veteran of three
undercover operations, said there is a drug
epidemic in Cottage Grove. He said drugs
are more openly available in Cottage Grove
than other communities where drug offi cers
more frequently work. Bond said once he
became acquainted in the town, people
approached him openly to sell him drugs.
Methamphetamine and marijuana were
the drugs Bond found most prevalent in the
area. He called methamphetamine “the most
drug I’ve ever seen.” He said it is the most
addictive drug he’d ever seen.
Bond said drug offi cers are needed in the
area to combat the problem. Offi cials at
Cottage Grove’s Police Department agreed.
“The average person has no concept of
what’s going on,” said Commander Larry
Worsham.
A total of 45 offi cers were used for
Friday’s raids.
Cottage Grove Chief Dick Hoffer said
that potential for trouble in such raids is
great. “The SWAT team may look like
overkill, but I wouldn’t trade them for
anything Hoffer said.
The last drug raid of this magnitude wa
sin 1985, Hoffer said.
A drug enforcement offi cer can keep in
touch with the drug community in town,
Hoffer pointed out.
The chief said if the manpower were
available for any raid in the near future,
he couldn’t use them because there isn’t
a local offi cer to perform the necessary
groundwork to execute successful raids. He
said the superiority in manpower, weaponry
and surprise keeps people from getting hurt
during raids.
Bond said narcotics are closely linked to
burglary and other crimes.
Hoffer agreed. He estimated that 85
percent, maybe more, of the thefts in
Cottage Grove are drug motivated.
National Beat
News from the state and around
the nation
From around the state
•
The Oregon Health Authority has issued a reminder
to residents that as summer starts, so do algae blooms
in the state’s lakes and rivers. The agency said most
blooms are not harmful but some can lead to illnesses
for both people and animals. If a body of water appear
“foamy, thick, pea-green, blue-green, brown or red in
color” the agency says residents should avoid it.
•
Oregon has grown 1.1 million pounds of marijuana
causing an imbalance in the traditional supply and
demand equation. Prices of recreational marijuana
continue to drop causing uncertainty for the industry.
However, the state continues to see tax revenue from
the legalization of the drug.
•
Former Oregon mayor Kenneth Barrett, 72, was sen-
tenced last week to one year and four months, in ad-
dition to three years of supervision, for soliciting sex
from who he thought was a 14-year-old girl on Face-
book. It was a police offi cer.
•
Car owners in Oregon will soon be able to choose a
license plate featuring a gray whale after Oregon State
University produced enough potential buyers to move
forward with the design. The plates will be an addi-
tional $40.
Cottage Grove Police Department 24-Hour Anonymous Tip Line: 767-0504
From around the nation
April 19
Four people were killed on Sunday after a 29-year-old
shooter entered a Waffl e House in Nashville, TN with
an AR-15 and opened fi re. Travis Reinking arrived
at the restaurant at approximately 3:30 a.m. wearing
only a green jacket and shot two individuals outside
the building. He killed two more people inside, injur-
ing four more before an unarmed man identifi ed as
29-year-old James Shaw, Jr. wrestled the gun away.
Reinking, who reportedly has a history of suffering
delusions and was arrested at the White House in July,
managed to fl ee before being captured on Monday. His
father, Jeffrey Reinking may have reportedly broken
federal law when he returned the guns to his son after
his arrest.
•
Authorities in Canada have named Alek Minassian,
25, as a potential suspect in the killing of nine pedes-
trians in Toronto on Monday, April 23. A white van
reportedly drove onto the street into a crowd killing
nine and injuring 16.
•
A complaint has been fi led against the 18 students
identifi ed in a racist video associated with the frater-
nity Theta Tau at Syracuse University. The complaint
was fi led by the university’s department of public
safety and student affairs. The video shows fraternity
members pledging to have “hatred in their heart” for
people of color and those of Jewish faith, using racial
pejoratives. A second video emerged earlier this week
showing the fraternity members mocking a disabled
person.
the high school.
Two people, wearing black, were seen climbing out of an SUV
and a sedan to start walking on Johnson Ave.
An unknown vehicle struck the ‘no vehicles allowed’ sign on the
bike path.
A UPS package was stolen from a front porch on S. 6th St.
An older Winnebago was reported as camping illegally.
A dog at large was reported on S. 8th St.
A man ran a car into a tree on N. River Rd.
April 16
Dog at large reported at Getty Circle.
Suspicious condition reported at Middlefi eld Golf. Complainant
believed they interrupted the theft of gas. Syphoning hose left be-
hind.
April 15
April 18
Possible gun shot and argument reportedly heard on S. 7th St.
Very loud music was reported as disturbing other tenants at a
building on N. J St.
A couple reported they were nearly struck by a drunk driver while
they were walking on Main St.
April 17
A person in a fast food drive thru reported that they were stabbed.
Proceeded to pound on the window and then ran away.
A loud crash and two males heard yelling on Gateway.
April 14
A green Ford Ranger was reported as driving recklessly in a park-
ing lot before proceeding to the roadway and nearly striking a van.
Graffi ti was reported in an alley on Main St.
A check was reportedly stolen from a complainant and copies
were made. The checks were reportedly being cashed.
Two cars were reported as doing “cookies” at the south end of
6
•
-day
weather forecast
THURSDAY April 26
FRIDAY April 27
73° | 47°
58° | 46°
Showers
Showers
SATURDAY April 28
SUNDAY April 29
54° | 43°
54° | 38°
Showers
Showers
MONDAY April 30
TUESDAY May 1
58° | 39°
64° | 40°
Showers
Sun
A man wearing a red baseball hat was reportedly standing in the
street on S. 5th preventing buses from using the road.
Criminal mischief was reported in the men’s room of the com-
munity center.
Keep up with local news all week by
following us on Twitter
@cgsentinel
Transmissions Plus &
AUTOMOTIVE
SPECIALTIES
State
Representatives
Oregon state representation
Senator Floyd Prozanski
District 4 State Senator
PO Box 11511
Eugene, OR 97440
Phone: (541)342-2447
E-Mail : sen.fl oydprozanski@state.or.us
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541-942-8022 • COTTAGE GROVE
Rep. Cedric Hayden, Republican
District 7 State Representative
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 986-1407
Website: http://www.leg.state.or.us/ hayden
E-Mail : rep.cedrichayden@state.or.us
Oregon federal representation
Peter DeFazio (House of Representatives)
405 East 8th Ave.
#2030
Eugene, OR 97401
Email: defazio.house.gov/contact/email-peter
Phone: (541) 465-6732
Ron Wyden (Senator)
405 East 8th Ave., Suite 2020
Eugene, OR, 97401
Email: visit wyden.senate.gov
Phone: (541) 431-0229
Jeff Merkley (Senator)
Email: visit merkley.senate.gov
Phone: (541) 465-6750
