HILLSBORO, Ore.- On November 9, 2021, Arturo Diaz-Guzman, age 41, pleaded guilty to first-degree rape, first-degree attempted sexual abuse and three counts of first-degree sexual abuse. He was then sentenced to 15 years in prison by Washington County Circuit Court Judge Erik Buchér. Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman prosecuted the case against the defendant. 

On October 10, 2019, the defendant approached a 12-year-old girl after he spotted her at a communal garbage disposal area of an apartment complex in Hillsboro, Oregon. The defendant told the girl that she was beautiful and asked for a hug. She refused and attempted to leave the area to return home. That’s when the defendant grabbed her from behind and pulled her towards a secluded area of the apartment complex. 

Fortunately, the girl was able to break free. She ran home and called police immediately. Hillsboro police responded and were able to identify the defendant as the suspect in the case. 

During the investigation of this case, additional victims came forward and reported historical sexual abuse by the defendant. The new information allowed this office to bring additional charges against Mr. Diaz-Guzman related to four additional victims. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to commend the victim in this case for her quick thinking and bravery in escaping this situation and the additional victims for having the courage to come forward. This office also acknowledges the work of the Hillsboro Police Department and CARES Northwest.

In addition to his prison sentence, the defendant was also ordered to register as a sex offender and to participate in a sex offender treatment program. He will also undergo five years of post-prison supervision upon his release. 

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On November 5, 2021, Washington County Circuit Court Judge Erik Buchér found Erik Shane Zweygartt guilty of five counts of using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct and five counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse in a bench trial. He was sentenced to 300 months in prison. Deputy District Attorney Jason Weiner prosecuted the case against the defendant. 

In October of 2020, the victim’s mother found a cell phone that she did not recognize in the victim’s bedroom. She examined the device and found explicit videos and photos of the victim as well as information linking the device to the defendant. The mother called police who launched an investigation. Detectives were able to confirm the phone belonged to and was provided by the defendant. They also verified that Mr. Zweygartt was the recipient of the explicit material. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to acknowledge the work of the Beaverton Police Department as well as the Washington County Digital Forensics Laboratory on this case. 

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On November 9, 2021, a Washington County jury found Tracy Lampron Cloud guilty of Murder in the Second Degree with a Firearm. On November 16, 2021, Judge Eric Butterfield sentenced the defendant to life in prison with a minimum of 25 years served. Senior Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard and Deputy District Attorney Melanie Musial prosecuted this case. 

On September 23, 2019, Ms. Cloud shot and killed her estranged husband, Philip Cloud, at their home in Washington County, Oregon. Ms. Cloud claimed self-defense at the time, but detectives quickly grew suspicious of that claim as the investigation unfolded. 

Using information gathered from surveillance cameras around the property, evidence secured from Ms. Cloud’s financial records, Philip Cloud’s cell phone, and forensic evidence developed through autopsy and evidence collected at the scene, detectives identified inconsistencies with Ms. Cloud’s accounting of events. The investigation also developed a strong financial incentive for Ms. Cloud to murder her husband.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to acknowledge the work of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on this case, including that of Detective Maribel Camas and Sergeant Robert Rookhuyzen, and the Oregon State Police Forensic Laboratory.  

In addition to her prison sentence, Ms. Cloud was also ordered to destroy her firearm and submit a DNA sample to the court. 

HILLSBORO, Ore.- Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton sent this letter to Washington County’s legislative delegation regarding Governor Kate Brown’s mass commutations of juvenile teenagers convicted of Measure 11 crimes.

There appear to be 25 Washington County cases affected by these commutations. The majority of these Washington County cases (18) are violent sex crimes committed by teenage offenders against younger children. The remainder are violent crimes including manslaughter, attempted murder, and robbery. In four of these cases, a judge has already considered and denied the offender an early “second look” release due to victim and community safety considerations. And in one notable case involving the sodomy of a young child at a daycare, the offender was an adult at the time of the crime, not a juvenile. 

The decision to grant early release of convicted offenders is an extraordinary step that should only be taken after careful consideration of the individual facts and circumstances of each case.  Additionally, community safety and the rights of crime victims should be primary considerations.

“Victims of violent crime have earned the right—literally through their blood, sweat and tears—to have input and advance notice before decisions are made that will result in their convicted offenders being released, and unfortunately that has not occurred,” said DA Barton.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- The Washington County District Attorney’s Office has been awarded $300,000 in competitive grant funding intended to combat a rise in bias/hate crimes. Incidents of bias crimes are increasing not only nationally, but in Oregon as well, a trend this office has observed over the past two years. 

The funding, provided by the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program Grant administered by the United States Department of Justice, will enable this office to launch a new Bias Crime Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). The MDT will consist of members from law enforcement agencies and community partner organizations. The team will meet regularly to discuss and implement strategies to combat bias and hate crime, including trainings, education, and outreach events. Senior Deputy District Attorney Allison Brown, who has extensive experience prosecuting cases with vulnerable crime victims, will Chair the MDT. 

Additionally, this funding will allow this office to support victim advocate positions dedicated to serving bias crime victims. These advocates will support the complex needs of these crime victims. 

“This federal grant allows us to pursue our mission of seeking justice and protecting our community by ensuring all Washington County residents are safe from crime, especially including bias and hate crime. As District Attorney, I am committed to protecting all members of our community,” said DA Barton.

This office wishes to thank the following agencies and organizations for their support in this endeavor: the Washington County Law Enforcement Council, the Washington County Family Justice Center, the Sexual Assault Resource Center, El Programa Hispano Catolico, African Youth and Community Organization, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, and Immigration and Refugee Community Organization.

HILLSBORO, Ore.- On October 28, 2021, Ryan Lee Geiger pleaded guilty to using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct and first-degree attempted sex abuse. Deputy District Attorney Sara Loebner prosecuted the defendant before Washington County Circuit Court Judge Erik Buchér.

In October of 2020, one of Mr. Geiger’s two teenaged victims made a disclosure of sexual abuse to a mandatory reporter. She later gave additional information about the abuse to experts at the Children’s Justice and Advocacy Center in Cowlitz County, Washington. She explained to investigators how the defendant abused her at his home in Forest Grove, Oregon while she was a minor. 

During the course of the investigation, detectives also learned of a second victim who reported similar abuse by the defendant. In this instance, the defendant requested the victim, who was a minor at the time, send him sexually explicit photos which he later shared with another adult.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to commend the victims for having the courage to report this abuse. This office would also like to acknowledge the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, including Detective Mark Povolny, for their work on this case, as well as the Children’s Justice and Advocacy Center for their assistance.

Mr. Geiger will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.