In the evening hours of Wednesday, December 11th, 2024, detectives with the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) arrested 51 year old Nathan Wilmarth of Yoncalla.
Detectives received information Wilmarth was at a business in the 800 block of John Long Road (Rice Hill) with the intent to sell a small amount of methamphetamine. At approximately 6:00 PM detectives were able to locate Wilmarth in the passenger seat of a vehicle in the parking lot.
Wilmarth was detained, and found to be in possession of approximately .4 grams of suspected methamphetamine. Wilmarth was transported to the Douglas County Jail to be lodged. During the booking process at the jail, A deputy located another approximately 1.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine concealed on Wilmarth's person.
Wilmarth was lodged at the jail on charges of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Delivery of Methamphetamine, and Supplying Contraband to a Correctional Facility.
Detectives with the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) brought a months long investigation to a close in the evening hours of Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
The investigation began in October of this year when it was alleged 35 year old David Ralston was illegally possessing, producing, and selling firearms from his residence in the 400 block of Division Street in Drain. Over the course of the following several weeks, detectives obtained evidence of Ralston's alleged illegal gun sales. In November, detectives seized an unserialized AR-15 style rifle alleged to have been produced and sold by Ralston. In December, detectives obtained information alleging Ralston had created an unserialized Glock style handgun, and it was ready to be purchased by a prospective buyer.
Producing and selling unserialized firearms is illegal in the state of Oregon. It is also unlawful to circumvent the background check process, as well as other similar violations. In addition, Ralston is a multiple times convicted felon, prohibiting him from possessing firearms.
On Wednesday afternoon, at approximately 12:40 PM, Ralston was stopped in a traffic stop conducted by a deputy with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Ralston was taken into custody without incident.
DINT detectives immediately executed a search warrant on Ralston's residence in the 400 block of Division Street in Drain. During the search, detectives found the previously mentioned unserialized Glock style handgun that was ready for sale, along with 19 other partially complete unserialized firearms, as well as the equipment used to produce the firearms. Detectives also located 2 fully functioning factory made firearms.
Additionally, detectives located .9 grams of suspected methamphetamine, and .1 grams of suspected DMT.
Ralston was lodged at the Douglas County Jail on the following charges:
- 4 counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- 21 counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm
- 2 counts of Unlawful Manufacture, Import, or Sale of Firearms
- Unlawful Possession of a Sch. I Controlled Substance
- Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine
The Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. DINT is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Roseburg Police Department, Oregon State Police, Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, and the Bureau of Land Management.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including DINT.