HILLSBORO, Ore- On May 15, 2024, Washington County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Erwin found Jair Leyva Noriega, age 21, guilty of Manslaughter in the Second Degree and Unlawful Delivery of a Schedule II Controlled Substance to a Minor in a bench trial. He was sentenced to 75 months in prison which will run consecutively to a prior sentence of 13 months in prison on domestic violence-related charges, for a combined prison sentence of 88 total months. Senior Deputy District Attorney Andrew Freeman prosecuted this case. 

This verdict is a rare occurrence in Oregon. Unlike some states and federal law, Oregon does not have a crime that specifically addresses drug dealers who cause overdose deaths. Sometimes the crime of criminally negligent homicide or manslaughter can be charged. However, those cases are rare and require specific evidence. To date, the Washington County DA’s Office is aware of only two other manslaughter convictions in Oregon of a drug dealer who caused a fatal overdose (State v. Tariq Knapper, 21CR06963 in Washington County, and State v. Thomas Turner, 23CR05595 in Linn County).

The defendant was an active drug dealer on probation for a prior domestic violence incident. In June of 2023, he sold fentanyl pills twice to a 17-year-old boy. After the first deal, the defendant warned the teenager to “take it slow” with the pills because he had put “good money” into making this batch of illicit drugs. The second deal occurred a few nights later when the defendant secretly delivered the drugs directly to the victim at the family’s home in rural Washington County. The next morning the victim’s grandparents found him deceased in the kitchen with drug paraphernalia in arms reach. There were two more counterfeit fentanyl pills, known as “blues,” in the victim’s bedroom, and the medical examiner later determined the teenager died of acute fentanyl toxicity. The Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Team then responded to the scene and began an investigation that led to the defendant’s apprehension. 

When rendering his verdict, Judge Andy Erwin compared the defendant’s behavior to handing a loaded gun to a 17-year-old to play Russian Roulette. Judge Erwin further said, “It is a scourge in our community that these drugs have become so deadly and taken so many lives, of which [the victim] is one.”

“Holding drug dealers accountable for the harm they cause in our community is a priority,” said Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton. “While many of Oregon’s laws were enacted long before the current fentanyl crisis, we are finding ways to apply old laws to new challenges. Sending dangerous drug dealers to prison will save lives.”

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to acknowledge the work of the Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Team on this case. This office also extends our deepest sympathies to the family of the teenage victim.

HILLSBORO, Ore- On May 9, 2024, Washington County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Erwin sentenced Tyrik Aliem Dawkins to 25 years in prison under Measure 11 sentencing guidelines. On April 25, 2024, the defendant was convicted of Rape in the First Degree, two counts of Sodomy in the First Degree, two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and Coercion. Deputy District Attorney Christina Luedtke prosecuted this case. 

The defendant and the victim connected through an online dating site and agreed to meet each other in September of 2021. The defendant quickly became aggressive and possessive of the victim. These actions escalated when Mr. Dawkins sexually assaulted the victim multiple times at her apartment in Hillsboro. He took her cell phone, her car keys, and repeatedly blocked her from leaving her apartment over a two-day period. He later forced her to drive him to a hotel where he was staying in Portland. He eventually let the victim leave the hotel but threatened to kill her if she reported his actions to the police. 

Despite these threats, the victim reported the attacks to the Hillsboro Police Department and multiple acquaintances. Detectives interviewed the victim and those she confided in and secured digital evidence linking the defendant to the victim. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends the bravery of the victim in reporting the defendant’s actions. This office also acknowledges the work of the Hillsboro Police Department on this case. 

Mr. Dawkins will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence. 

HILLSBORO, Ore- On April 26, 2024, a Washington County jury found Enrique Tapia-Chavez, age 34, guilty of Murder in the Second Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. Judge Janelle Wipper also found the defendant guilty of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. On May 2, 2024, the defendant was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years for the second-degree murder conviction and an additional 60 months in prison for the firearm. Those sentences will be served consecutively. Senior Deputy District Attorney Andrew Freeman and Deputy District Attorney Jason Ring prosecuted the case against the defendant. 

In the early morning hours of July 11, 2022, the defendant drove his girlfriend’s car into a strip mall parking lot near SE 10th Avenue and SE Walnut Street in Hillsboro, Oregon. As he arrived, he saw the victim, Juan Moncivais, walking along Walnut Street and into the lot. After a minute of watching the victim, the defendant circled the lot and parked near him. Surveillance cameras captured the scene as the defendant immediately got out of the vehicle and started firing with a 9mm handgun. Though Mr. Moncivais turned and ran for his life, the defendant gave chase and shot him in the back multiple times. After the victim fell to the pavement the defendant shot him in the head a final time at close range before fleeing the scene. 

Hillsboro police used that surveillance footage to identify the vehicle and the defendant as a potential suspect. Through many hours of work and the assistance of a large law enforcement team, investigators established corroborating details that confirmed the defendant was the killer, including cell phone location data that placed him at the murder scene.  

In imposing consecutive sentences, Judge Wipper cited the defendant’s prior failures on supervision, his prior firearm conviction, and the brazen public nature of this murder. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to acknowledge the investigative work of the Hillsboro Police Department on this case, particularly co-lead detectives Anthony Johnson and Devin Rigo and the Law Enforcement Analyst Unit.

Mr. Tapia-Chavez will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence. 

HILLSBORO, Ore- Washington County, the safest urban county in Oregon, is seeking applicants for the position of Deputy District Attorney I, II, III, or IV.  These position(s) will be in our misdemeanor or felony criminal units, depending on experience. Our DDAs are responsible for all aspects of case prosecution including charging decisions, case management, negotiations, and trials. 

The mission of the Washington County DA’s Office is to seek justice and protect our community.  To accomplish that mission, we do the following:

• We aggressively prosecute dangerous offenders and those who harm the quality of life,
• We hold criminals accountable who commit all levels of crime,
• We look for ways to address root causes of crime through specialty courts and treatment programs,
• We speak multiple languages,
• We serve all members of our community regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, orientation, or nationality, and
• We protect the vulnerable, including children, sexual assault victims, and the elderly.

In addition to safe neighborhoods and top-rated schools, Washington County is home to companies like Nike, Intel, and Columbia Sportswear. We stretch from the western boundary of Portland to the coast range, and include the cities of Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Tualatin, Sherwood, and Forest Grove. We are close enough to Portland to feel urban, but distant enough – both in proximity and philosophy – to have our own unique identity.  

We offer top-tier prosecutor salaries, a vibrant and collaborative work environment, and generous benefits (including reserved parking). Annual cost-of-living pay increases are routine and merit-based salary increases are common.  Our DDA I to IV salary range is currently $102,750 to $203,026. Salary offers for these positions will depend on experience.

Practicing attorneys and persons sitting for the July 2024 Bar exam are welcome to apply.

The list of requested application materials is available on our website, https://www.washingtoncountyda.org/attorneys

If interested, please contact Chief Deputy DA Jeff Lesowski: Jeff_lesowski@washingtoncountyor.gov

HILLSBORO, Ore- On April 18, 2024, Cristian Michael Abarca was sentenced to 150 months in prison under Measure 11 sentencing guidelines after he was convicted of two counts of Robbery in the First Degree. Senior Deputy District Attorney Andrew Freeman prosecuted this case.

On August 12, 2022, two brothers parked in front of a convenience store near SE 10th Ave and SE Baseline. When the driver got out to go inside, Mr. Abarca approached and got into the driver’s seat with a large fixed-blade knife. He then threatened the brother in the passenger seat, who fled the vehicle. The defendant drove off in the car which contained the victims’ paychecks and a cell phone. Thankfully, these were recovered when the brothers spotted their car abandoned nearby. At the time the robber’s identity was unknown. 

On September 2, 2022, the defendant approached a man after he got off the bus with his groceries near that same convenience store. The defendant pulled a large, fixed-blade knife out of his sock and threatened to stab the victim if he didn’t hand over his phone and wallet. The victim gave the defendant his wallet and all the groceries he had just purchased. The defendant left the area on foot while the victim ran to the Hillsboro police station and reported the robbery. Police immediately began searching the area and arrested the defendant nearby. He had the victim’s wallet along with two fixed-blade knives, one in his sock and one in his waistband. Officers were able to return the groceries to the victim after a K9 found them in a vacant lot nearby. 

Investigators later linked DNA evidence found on the steering wheel from the stolen car incident to the defendant and determined he had committed both robberies. While in detention at the Washington County Jail, the defendant assaulted two inmates in separate, unprovoked incidents. These actions, together with other factors including the defendant’s prior failure on domestic violence probation, were all cited by Judge Ricardo Menchaca when imposing the lengthy sentence. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends the work of the Hillsboro Police Department in locating and arresting the defendant. Mr. Abarca will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence. 

HILLSBORO, Ore- On April 23, 2024, a Washington County jury found Cesar Yovanni Alvarez-Alcazar, age 20, guilty of Murder in the Second Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. The defendant pled no contest to Unlawful Possession of a Firearm prior to the trial. Judge Theodore Sims then sentenced the defendant to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Senior Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard and Deputy District Attorney Dustin Staten prosecuted this case. 

On February 6, 2022, the defendant attended a house party in Cornelius, Oregon. He was heavily intoxicated and got into a verbal argument with multiple partygoers including the victim, Jose Angel Rodriguez-Sanchez, age 20 at the time. The defendant shot the victim several times and also fired a shot at another partygoer. The victim died from his injuries, and the defendant fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. 

Investigators quickly identified the defendant as their suspect. He was arrested by officers from the Salem Police Department during a traffic stop seven months later. Police found a loaded handgun hidden under the defendant’s driver’s seat along with 400 rounds of ammunition and body armor. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends the investigative work on this case by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the deputies serving the City of Cornelius. This office also thanks the Salem Police Department for their work in apprehending the defendant. 

Mr. Alvarez-Alcazar will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.