HILLSBORO, Ore- On September 1, 2023, Washington County Circuit Court Judge Brandon Thompson found Arash Golniakan guilty of Assault in the Second Degree, Attempted Kidnapping in the First Degree, Coercion, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing Constituting Domestic Violence, and three counts of Assault in the Fourth Degree Constituting Domestic Violence. Judge Thompson sentenced the defendant to 118 months in prison and three years of post-prison supervision. Senior Deputy District Attorney Gina Skinner prosecuted the case.

The defendant and victim were married but had just finalized their divorce. On April 5, 2021, the defendant called and texted the victim repeatedly demanding to know her location. After initially ignoring the messages, the victim conducted a video chat with the defendant. Within five minutes of that call, Mr. Golniakan drove to the victim’s location. He got out of his car and displayed a pocketknife. He told the victim he would kill her or himself that day. He then tried to push the victim into his vehicle. A struggle ensued. The defendant assaulted and stabbed the victim until she eventually agreed to get into the vehicle if Mr. Golniakan gave her the knife. He did and she threw it into bushes before he drove them back to their residence. 

Once they returned home, the defendant attempted to take his own life by overdosing on medication. The victim called 9-1-1. First responders took the pair to an area hospital where the victim reported the incident to police. She recounted details of the attack, spoke of previous incidents of domestic violence, and helped police locate the discarded knife. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends the victim for her bravery throughout the legal process. This office also thanks the Tigard Police Department for its work on this case.

HILLSBORO, Ore- On August 14, 2023, Yessenia Manriquez-Casillas, age 23, pleaded guilty to two counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree. On September 5, 2023, Washington County Circuit Court Judge Oscar Garcia sentenced the defendant to 13 months in prison. Deputy District Attorney Rayney Meisel prosecuted the case. 

The defendant worked as a teacher’s assistant at Century High School in Hillsboro, Oregon. In March of 2023, the defendant coordinated a meet-up with the teenage victim, who was a student at the school. They drove to a secondary location, where the sexual abuse occurred. 

The victim’s mother found text messages on the child’s phone between the victim and defendant. When asked about these messages, the victim became upset and disclosed the abuse. The mother notified school officials who placed the defendant on leave and alerted law enforcement. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends the victim for the bravery shown throughout the court process. This office also acknowledges the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsboro Police Department, CARES Northwest, and the Hillsboro School District for their work on this case. 

The defendant will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving her sentence. 

HILLSBORO, Ore- On August 23, 2023, a Washington County jury found Chad Brandon Pitcher guilty of Manslaughter in the First Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. On September 1, 2023, Judge Janelle Wipper sentenced the defendant to 180 months in prison with credit for time served. Chief Deputy District Attorney Jeff Lesowski and Deputy District Attorney Nadya Martin prosecuted this case. 

The defendant was originally convicted in 2019. However, the jury returned non-unanimous verdicts on two of the original three counts. The case had to be retried after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Ramos v. Louisiana that non-unanimous verdicts in state trials for serious criminal offenses violated the Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial.

The defendant targeted the victim, Reiner Schmolling, after he learned he stole his vehicle. On September 19, 2017, Mr. Pitcher and Christopher Jay Stephens, a co-defendant in the original trial, drove to a rural area outside North Plains, Oregon, and confronted Mr. Schmolling. Both men were armed with handguns. Mr. Pitcher then shot the victim once in the chest. The victim died at the scene. 

The defendant left the area in his vehicle but abandoned it a short while later after it ran out of gas. Information found in the car helped investigators identify Mr. Pitcher as a suspect. Mr. Stephens was identified as an accomplice in the crime. 

On September 28, 2017, Mr. Stephens was arrested by members of the Washington County Major Crimes Team. He confessed to driving Mr. Pitcher to the crime scene and admitted he fired one round from his own handgun. Mr. Pitcher remained a fugitive for several weeks. He was tracked to Wilsonville, Oregon by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and was arrested on October 8, 2017, after jumping from a second-story apartment balcony.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office acknowledges the work of the Washington County Major Crimes Team and the U.S. Marshals Service on this case. 

HILLSBORO, Ore.- In response to a federal court ruling issued today in Caleb Aionia, et al. v Patrick Garrett, et al., (3:23-cv-01097-CL), which requires the Washington County Sheriff to release from jail unrepresented defendants facing criminal charges within 10 days, District Attorney Kevin Barton makes the following statement:

I once again call on state leaders to act with urgency to take immediate and meaningful action to address the unrepresented defendant crisis.

Defendants have a right to an attorney, victims have the right to a day in court, and the public has a right to a functional criminal justice system that keeps people safe.  All three of these rights must be honored.

There are solutions to this crisis.  We have proposed several potential remedies to the Washington County Circuit Court (see Motion to Identify Defense Counsel Without Delay and Increase Defense Attorney Compensation as Needed, case no. C130935CR).  We will continue to advocate in court for these and other proposals to be implemented immediately to keep our community safe.

Additional Information:

Three area defense attorneys are also calling for action. Robert Harris, James Jensen, and Jennifer Robins each submitted declarations of support for our motion.  

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On July 27, 2023, a Washington County jury found David Michael Smith, age 36, guilty of Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree and two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman prosecuted the defendant before Judge Oscar Garcia.

In May of 2022, the child victim reported that the defendant, who was known to her, sexually abused her. The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) alerted the Washington County Sheriff's Office of the allegations. Investigators met with the victim’s family. The child also met with medical experts at CARES Northwest where she provided additional details of the abuse.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends the victim for her bravery throughout this process. We also acknowledge the work of DHS, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and CARES Northwest.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 15, 2023.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On July 19, 2023, a Washington County jury found Rafael Avalos-Lezama, age 45, guilty of two counts of Sodomy in the First Degree and three counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman prosecuted the case against the defendant before Judge Janelle Wipper. 

In April of 2021, one of two young victims in this case disclosed sexual abuse committed by the defendant. The Beaverton Police Department began investigating. Both victims provided details of the abuse to investigators and medical experts at CARES Northwest. 

Prior to his most recent arrest, the defendant was convicted of Identity Theft after authorities discovered he was using a stolen identity to avoid capture on an active arrest warrant for second-degree rape, involving a 12-year-old child, in Yamhill County, Oregon. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends the victims for their bravery throughout the legal process. This office also acknowledges the work of the Beaverton Police Department and CARES Northwest. 

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 12, 2023.