Yamhill County Man Convicted In LCPD Child Luring Investigation (Photo) - 07/20/26

On March 13, 2026, Richard Brotherton, age 63 of Amity, was arrested after initiating a sexually graphic conversation with an undercover officer posing as a minor. Brotherton was arrested and booked into the Lincoln County Jail for Luring a Minor. Deputy District Attorney Madeleine Boyle, of the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office, argued the case on behalf of the State.

On July 1, 2026, following testimony by the Lincoln City Police Department, a Lincoln County Jury found Richard Brotherton GUILTY of Luring a Minor. On July 16, 2026, Brotherton was sentenced to the Oregon Department of Corrections for a term of 28 months.

The Lincoln City Police Department is releasing Brotherton’s photo in an attempt to locate additional possible victims. If you recognize Brotherton and would like to speak with an investigator, please contact the LCPD or your local law enforcement agency.

The Lincoln City Police Department encourages parents to monitor their children's social media activity and discuss with them the possible dangers of communicating with strangers online. These investigations are conducted in a continuing effort to protect our children from predators who target children for sexual exploitation and to reduce crime and further enhance the safety of our community.

ANIMAL SERVICES CONCERN (Photo) - 07/18/26

The Lincoln City Police Department has been made aware of an online conspiracy to dox, harass, and commit violence against a local man regarding perceived crimes against an animal and perceived law enforcement inaction. The Lincoln City Police Department takes great pride in its history of thorough and professional investigations and every member here is an animal lover. We also place great value on the U.S. Constitution which we have sworn to uphold.  Under the American system of laws citizens are free from arrest without Probable Cause. It is one of our highest values and sets our nation apart from others.

The Lincoln City Police Department contracts Animal Services through the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and coordinates efforts to investigate crimes against animals with that agency. LCSO employs sworn Deputies with expertise in investigations into animal care. Over the last 9 months LCPD has received 21 complaints regarding that one individual related to animal care. The majority of those were second-hand complaints from those who watched online videos provided to them. Of the remaining, many were from the same callers, some with personal vendettas against the dog-owner unrelated to his animal. Throughout this period the Lincoln City Police Department has physically evaluated the dog in question 5 times, each time finding the dog to be uninjured. 3 times LCPD had referred the issue to the Animal Services Deputies. Our records show the Animal Services Deputies have conducted 6 of their own investigations. As of yet, none of these investigations, from at least 12 different trained Law Enforcement Officers, from two separate agencies, has developed Probable Cause that a crime has been committed.

In today’s age it is easy to become spun up over social media hype and fall in line with others who may have ulterior motives. We urge our fellow citizens to think critically but absolutely support the right of Americans to seek change, peacefully protest, and live with the peace of mind that mob-rule does not govern our Community. If you do not agree with a law, work to change it. If you think some profession should require licensure, talk to your elected representative. Most of all, treat each other civilly.

Lastly, let it be known, those who engage in conspiracy to commit violence in our Community, can all be charged for that violence. We will not tolerate acts of violence.

Lincoln City 2026 Independence Day Fire - 07/06/26

The Lincoln City Police Department investigated a brush fire threatening residential structures on the evening of July 4^th 2026 leading to the arrest of eight suspects.

The investigation into the fire is still ongoing; however, initial reports indicate that around 9:00 PM on Independence Day a group of young men were observed by neighbors recklessly launching illegal aerial fireworks off their back porch into a grassy hillside overlooking the beach, which then caught fire. The gathering was at a family home on Coast Avenue, and not a Vacation Rental Dwelling. Despite initial denials, once confronted with video evidence taken by a neighbor, the young man hosting the gathering admitted that he and his guests had committed the conduct.

The following individuals received criminal citations to appear in the Lincoln County Circuit Court on July 20th for ORS 164.335 Reckless Burning, an A Misdemeanor:

Alexander Chen, 21, of Portland Oregon

Arvin Kharrazu, 21, of Portland Oregon

Braeden Carter, 21, of Bend Oregon

Ethan Thanh-Tai Tieu, 21, of Battleground Washington

Jeremy Hannah, 21, of Portland Oregon

Jesse Lindholm, 21, of Portland Oregon

Logan Carter, 21, of Bend Oregon

Olin Gilster, 21, of Portland Oregon

In total eight Lincoln City Police Department Officers assisted eighteen fire-fighters from North Lincoln Fire & Rescue, Depoe Bay Fire District, Newport Fire Department, and the Oregon Department of Forestry to contain the blaze which reached approximately 45,000 square feet and came within approximately 30 feet of three residences. Incident Commander NLFR Deputy Chief Cody Heidt directed the firefighting efforts.

Using thermal imaging, the LCPD Unmanned Aircraft System Team assisted by identifying hot spots and fire movement to coordinate the efforts of fire crews to better protect houses and structures in the area. The Department’s UAS program has become an important public safety asset for the community from search and rescue, to locating missing children, and now coordinating with fire-fighting efforts.

Thanks to the mutual aid from our small coastal communities, three families still have homes. This is another example of why we take the reckless use of fireworks seriously. In many parts of our Country, they may not pose as much of a threat. Out on the Oregon Coast, in dry months, irresponsible use of fireworks can have grave consequences.