Kidnapping Arrest -07/01/23
Grants Pass, Ore. - On Sunday, June 18, 2023, the Grants Pass Police Department received a report of a 15-year-old female juvenile that had been forced into a car the previous night by someone she did not know. The abduction occurred in the north end of NE 7th Street in Grants Pass.
The Grants Pass Police Department initiated a full investigation with the assistance of the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office. Grants Pass Police detectives determined the female victim had been driven out into the Merlin area. Limited information about the unknown suspect was known at the time of the initial report.
Detectives worked tirelessly to find video surveillance from businesses around the area where the victim had been abducted. Using those videos, along with city cameras and extensive computer research, Detectives were able to establish the suspect to be Mark Dastrup, a 42-year-old resident of Wilderville, Oregon.
As soon as Dastrup was determined to be the suspect, Grants Pass Police detectives prioritized locating him. The next day, on June 30, 2023, the detectives were able to confirm Dastrup to be at a residence in the 7000 block of Old Redwood Highway in Wilderville.
Grants Pass SWAT and Grants Pass detectives took Dastrup into custody late the afternoon of June 30 at the residence. The arrest occurred without incident.
Mark Junior Dastrup was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on charges of Kidnapping 1, Rape 1, Sodomy 1, and Sex Abuse 1.
Anyone having information relevant to this investigation is asked to contact the Grants Pass Police Department at 541-450-6260 and reference case #23-25695. We appreciate the assistance of the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, and Josephine County District Attorney’s Office. Further, our Department would like to thank the many businesses who provided video and helped in solving this case.
All media inquiries should be directed to the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office.