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News Release

Joint Child Exploitation Task Force Sweep Arrests Five Local Suspects For 39 Felony Counts Of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse, Another Suspect Currently In Custody In Missouri Jail (Photo) - 09/03/25

Video Interview available for download: https://vimeo.com/1115649861?share=copy#t=0

 

Interview Namekey: Oregon Department of Justice Special Agent Steven Bohn, Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team Investigator

 

JCSO Cases 23-4725, 23-4751, 24-0008, 24-2212, 24-2249, 24-2380, 24-3127

 

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) joint inter-agency task force arrested five suspects today, September 3, on a total of 39 encouraging child sexual abuse felony charges. Investigations led to arrests throughout Jackson County including addresses in Medford, Ashland, White City, and Eagle Point. Although the cases are not connected, total felony charges included 30 counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, and nine counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. In total, SOCET discovered more than 800 images of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) during search warrants of the five suspects.

 

Each investigation began when SOCET received tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led to subpoenas, followed by search warrants at the respective residences. Investigators seized digital devices during the searches and applied for additional warrants to examine the devices. Once the additional search warrants were signed, the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force (SOHTCTF) forensically examined the devices for further evidence of child exploitation. At that point SOCET took each case through a Grand Jury hearing and the courts issued warrants for each suspect’s arrest.

 

The first arrest came in Eagle Point when SOCET went to a residence in the 400 block of Stevens Road in Eagle Point. The task force located and arrested Kevin Lee Bratton, 46, of Eagle Point, on 10 felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is now lodged in the Jackson County Jail. During the course of the investigation SOCET found Bratton had more than 100 CSAM images.

 

Next, the task force located a suspect at his residence in the 80 block of Pine Street in Ashland. The task force arrested Shale Tiercel Pagel, 34, of Ashland, for five felony counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is now lodged in the Jackson County Jail. SOCET found Pagel had 682 CSAM images.

 

The task force then located and arrested David Richard Lubina, 40, of Medford, during a traffic stop in White City. Lubina is charged with six felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is now lodged at the Jackson County Jail. Investigators initially served a search warrant at his former residence in the 1100 block of Gate Park Drive in Medford. The investigation revealed Lubina had 13 images of CSAM.

 

The next arrest came when SOCET investigators located Brandon Scott Matlock, 39, of Eagle Point, at his residence in the 6500 block of Shadow Glen Road in rural Eagle Point. Matlock is charged with nine felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is now lodged in the Jackson County Jail. During the SOCET investigation Matlock was found with 15 CSAM images in his possession.

 

The final arrest for the sweep came when investigators contacted Margarito Baldazo Banuelos II, 19, of Medford, at his residence in the 200 block of Ivy Street in Medford. Banuelos is charged with four felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, and three felony counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is now lodged in the Jackson County Jail. Previously, a NCMEC cyber tip led investigators to a residence in the 500 block of Talent Avenue in Talent where evidence was located. SOCET found Banuelos had 12 CSAM images.

 

One suspect is currently in custody at Taney County Jail in Missouri. Erik Thiel Rowe, 45, will be extradited back to Oregon to face two charges of first- and second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. Investigators initially served a search warrant in a converted school bus on a property in the 6500 block of Rogue River Highway in rural Grants Pass near the town of Rogue River. SOCET discovered Rowe had two CSAM images in his possession. Rowe also has an outstanding felony warrant for a probation violation for second-degree sex abuse.

 

Many local and federal law enforcement agencies assisted SOCET with today’s arrests. These agencies included Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), Oregon Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ODOJ ICAC), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, Oregon State Police (OSP), Medford Police Department (MPD), Ashland Police Department, Central Point Police Department, Eagle Point Police Department, Talent Police Department, and SOHTCTF.

 

SOCET is a joint inter-agency task force that started in June of 2020 to combat child exploitation. The task force consists of investigators from JCSO, MPD, ODOJ ICAC, and HSI, as well as prosecutors from our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson and Josephine County. SOHTCTF is a joint inter-agency task force that consists of investigators from JCSO, HSI, and MPD.

 

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Attached Media Files: Arrest Banuelos 1, Arrest Banuelos 2, Arrest Lubina 1, Arrest Bratton 1, Arrest Bratton 2, SOCET Task Force, Arrest Pagel, Arrest Lubina 2, Arrest Matlock,

Joint Child Exploitation Task Force Sweep Arrests Five Local Suspects For 39 Felony Counts Of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse, Another Suspect Currently In Custody In Missouri Jail (Photo) - 09/03/25

Video Interview available for download: https://vimeo.com/1115649861?share=copy#t=0

 

Interview Namekey: Oregon Department of Justice Special Agent Steven Bohn, Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team Investigator

 

JCSO Cases 23-4725, 23-4751, 24-0008, 24-2212, 24-2249, 24-2380, 24-3127

 

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) joint inter-agency task force arrested five suspects today, September 3, on a total of 39 encouraging child sexual abuse felony charges. Investigations led to arrests throughout Jackson County including addresses in Medford, Ashland, White City, and Eagle Point. Although the cases are not connected, total felony charges included 30 counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, and nine counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. In total, SOCET discovered more than 800 images of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) during search warrants of the five suspects.

 

Each investigation began when SOCET received tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led to subpoenas, followed by search warrants at the respective residences. Investigators seized digital devices during the searches and applied for additional warrants to examine the devices. Once the additional search warrants were signed, the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force (SOHTCTF) forensically examined the devices for further evidence of child exploitation. At that point SOCET took each case through a Grand Jury hearing and the courts issued warrants for each suspect’s arrest.

 

The first arrest came in Eagle Point when SOCET went to a residence in the 400 block of Stevens Road in Eagle Point. The task force located and arrested Kevin Lee Bratton, 46, of Eagle Point, on 10 felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is now lodged in the Jackson County Jail. During the course of the investigation SOCET found Bratton had more than 100 CSAM images.

 

Next, the task force located a suspect at his residence in the 80 block of Pine Street in Ashland. The task force arrested Shale Tiercel Pagel, 34, of Ashland, for five felony counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is now lodged in the Jackson County Jail. SOCET found Pagel had 682 CSAM images.

 

The task force then located and arrested David Richard Lubina, 40, of Medford, during a traffic stop in White City. Lubina is charged with six felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is now lodged at the Jackson County Jail. Investigators initially served a search warrant at his former residence in the 1100 block of Gate Park Drive in Medford. The investigation revealed Lubina had 13 images of CSAM.

 

The next arrest came when SOCET investigators located Brandon Scott Matlock, 39, of Eagle Point, at his residence in the 6500 block of Shadow Glen Road in rural Eagle Point. Matlock is charged with nine felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is now lodged in the Jackson County Jail. During the SOCET investigation Matlock was found with 15 CSAM images in his possession.

 

The final arrest for the sweep came when investigators contacted Margarito Baldazo Banuelos II, 19, of Medford, at his residence in the 200 block of Ivy Street in Medford. Banuelos is charged with four felony counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, and three felony counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. He is now lodged in the Jackson County Jail. Previously, a NCMEC cyber tip led investigators to a residence in the 500 block of Talent Avenue in Talent where evidence was located. SOCET found Banuelos had 12 CSAM images.

 

One suspect is currently in custody at Taney County Jail in Missouri. Erik Thiel Rowe, 45, will be extradited back to Oregon to face two charges of first- and second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. Investigators initially served a search warrant in a converted school bus on a property in the 6500 block of Rogue River Highway in rural Grants Pass near the town of Rogue River. SOCET discovered Rowe had two CSAM images in his possession. Rowe also has an outstanding felony warrant for a probation violation for second-degree sex abuse.

 

Many local and federal law enforcement agencies assisted SOCET with today’s arrests. These agencies included Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), Oregon Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ODOJ ICAC), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, Oregon State Police (OSP), Medford Police Department (MPD), Ashland Police Department, Central Point Police Department, Eagle Point Police Department, Talent Police Department, and SOHTCTF.

 

SOCET is a joint inter-agency task force that started in June of 2020 to combat child exploitation. The task force consists of investigators from JCSO, MPD, ODOJ ICAC, and HSI, as well as prosecutors from our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson and Josephine County. SOHTCTF is a joint inter-agency task force that consists of investigators from JCSO, HSI, and MPD.

 

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Attached Media Files: Arrest Banuelos 1, Arrest Banuelos 2, Arrest Lubina 1, Arrest Bratton 1, Arrest Bratton 2, SOCET Task Force, Arrest Pagel, Arrest Lubina 2, Arrest Matlock,