Local News

Grants Pass Police officers arrested two suspects wanted on warrants in Resting Site 6 North Wednesday.

At 10:34 a.m., law enforcement contacted a man at the 714 NW 6th Street site. He was believed to be Tyronne Cashatt at first, and even responded to being called Tyronne.

Once he was detained, the officer recognized him as Jequis Porter, who had a Washington County Sheriff's Office warrant out for his arrest. The warrant charged him with Unlawful Possession, Manufacture and Delivery of a Schedule II Controlled Substance.

After positively identifying Porter, officers took him into custody for his warrant. While he was being arrested, an assisting officer observed Bobbie Jo Langdon in the site around 10:44 a.m.

She was known by the officer to have active warrants out of the Police Department for her arrest. Law enforcement ran her information through dispatch, confirming the valid and serviceable warrants.

Langdon was wanted for Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine and Second Degree Trespassing, and she was promptly taken into custody. Both Langdon and Porter were transported to the Josephine County Jail and lodged on their warrants.

 

Oregon State Police made arrests in two vehicle-related incidents both Wednesday and early this morning.

At 8:33 last night, troopers were notified of a stolen vehicle in Josephine County. The gray Chevy Impala was soon located on Interstate 5 at milepost 57. After conducting a traffic stop, troopers contacted the driver, Richard Tagen, 36, of Lebanon.

He was taken into custody and transported to Three Rivers Medical Center. After receiving medical clearance, Tagen was lodged in the Josephine County Jail for Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle.

Then, this morning at 12:37, troopers pulled over a vehicle at State Route 260 and Marcy Loop Road. The driver, Jeptha Stricklin, 32, of Wilderville, was found to have an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest.

Stricklin was taken into custody without incident and lodged in jail. His vehicle was released to a family member.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department is proud to recognize Captain Tyler Lee on his recent graduation from the FBI National Academy.

The 297th session included men and women from 48 states and the District of Columbia, along with 26 international law enforcement representatives from 24 countries, four military organizations, and four federal civilian organizations.

The GPPD is especially proud of Captain Lee’s achievement as he simultaneously worked toward his master’s degree while attending the Academy. The intensive learning environment, combined with world class networking opportunities, will further strengthen his role within the department and help shape future strategic initiatives while supporting internal professional growth.

The National Academy is internationally known for its academic rigor, offering 10 weeks of advanced training in communication, leadership, and fitness. On average, attendees bring 21 years of law enforcement experience and often return to their agencies to serve in executive-level leadership roles.

 

The owner and operator of Tienda Santa Maria II LLC has been charged with money laundering. This comes after Jose Alonso Paramo Arguello, 45, used his money service businesses to launder narcotics trafficking proceeds and structure financial transactions to avoid suspicion of law enforcement. A citizen of Mexico and unlawfully residing in the United States, he has been charged by criminal complaint with money laundering. According to court documents, Arguello is the owner and operator of the Phoenix business, along with two others, Tienda Santa Maria in Medford, and Paramos Barber Shop in Central Point. Arguello uses his three businesses to transfer narcotics trafficking proceeds to Mexico by breaking down transactions into smaller amounts and using fake names and addresses for the money senders to conceal the true nature and source of the funds. From January 2, 2024, through December 3, 2025, Arguello’s three money service businesses transferred more than $13 million in wire transfers of $500 or more to Mexico, an amount often indicative of narcotics trafficking. Of that, over $7 million was sent to locations in Mexico associated with narcotics trafficking. The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) provided an informant with cash to attempt to wire money to Mexico.

 

Grants Pass City Councilors Approved Tree Climbing Competition, Divided Tourism Grants and appointed several committee positions during Wednesday night's Business Session.The Council approved a resolution allowing Pacific Northwest International Society of Arboriculture to conduct commercial activity within Riverside Park as it conducts the Southern Oregon Region Tree Climbing Competition scheduled to run from April 10th through the 12th this year. Fees of $521.25 were waived.The Council then approved a second resolution awarding tourism promotion grants departing from the committee's recommendation. The Grants Pass Active Club and Hellgate Jetboat Excursions will receive $5,000 each. $2,500 will be awarded to Grants Pass High Band Boosters, Mainstreet Grants Pass Cruise, Rogue Valley Classic Cruisers, and the Rogue Valley Mountain Bike Association.The council authorized the city manager to amend the city's classification plan affecting four positions: the community service officer, the engineering supervisor, the facilities maintenance technician and an urban forester and trail coordinator. Councilors then appointed Rebecca Anderson, Wynnis Grow and Trevor House to the Tourism Advisory Committee.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man that was lying on the ground at the request of his parole officer.

Dispatch was notified of a man lying near the sidewalk at the corner of Ringuette Street and Union Avenue Tuesday at 4:43 p.m. The caller, having just driven by, reported the man looked like he was wearing scrubs and had a Band-Aid on his arm.

The caller requested officers conduct a welfare check on the man. Officers arrived, contacted Jake Thompson, and then notified his parole officer. A detainer was requested, so Thompson was taken into custody.

He had been released from Three Rivers Medical Center before being found on the ground. Officers transported and lodged Thompson in the Josephine County Jail on his detainer.

 

Officers with Grants Pass Police arrested a man at Resting Site Six North on two warrants Tuesday.

The suspect, Robert Lowden, was observed at the 714 NW 6th Street site around 9:36 p.m. Upon contact and confirmation of his identity, it was determined he was wanted on two active and serviceable warrants. One out of the Police Department, and the other from the Oregon State Parole Board.

Lowden's warrants charged him with Possession of Methamphetamine and Assault. He also needed to be trespassed from the North Safeway. Officers cleared his warrants, and promptly took him into custody.

He was lodged in the Josephine County Jail, and his backpack was submitted into safekeeping.

 

Grants Pass Police were alerted to a trespassing complaint where the suspect was reportedly held at gunpoint.

A call to 911 reported the caller's father had a trespassing woman at gunpoint on their property in the 800 block of NE D Street. She was in their front yard saying she was trying to hide from her boyfriend, after which the father put the weapon away.

Officers and Oregon State Police Troopers arrived at the scene, and Elizabeth Marino was contacted. She admitted to trespassing on the property, and consented to a search of her backpack. Law enforcement discovered a glass pipe with white residue, which Marino stated would test positive for methamphetamine.

Following the positive test, officers detained Marino. The owner of the property advised it was possible two male suspects had run off when Marino was detained, and a window was found to be open. K-9 Maro was deployed to clear the property after announcements were made, but the residence was determined to be unoccupied.

Marino was transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was lodged on charges of Meth Possession and Second Degree Trespass.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop and arrested the driver for criminal mischief charges and a detainer.

On Tuesday at 2:08 p.m., deputies pulled over a vehicle at the corner of Lone Mountain Road and Redwood Highway. The suspect driver, Mitchell Thornton, was advised he was under arrest due to probable cause in two different cases.

Thornton refused to get out of his vehicle, but deputies were able to take him into custody at 2:13 p.m. He was charged with four counts of First Degree Criminal Mischief, and his parole officer placed a detainer on him.

Deputies transported Thornton to the Josephine County Jail where he was subsequently lodged.