February 18, 2020

Jason Stewart pleads guilty for attacking two women in the Pearl District

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 37-year-old Jason Stewart changed his plea and admitted that he attacked two women in the Pearl District.

This case was prosecuted by Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Melissa Marrero.

Stewart pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping in the second degree, one count of burglary in the first degree and one count of coercion.

According to court documents, Stewart is expected to receive a 120 month prison sentence when he is formally sentenced on May 18, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. in Multnomah County Circuit Court. As part of his sentence, he will have to register as a sex offender.

This investigation started on January 6, 2019 when police received information about an in-progress disturbance in the 1500 block of Northwest 14th Avenue in Portland, Oregon. When police arrived, they contacted an adult female who told them that a stranger, later identified as Stewart, attacked and kissed her as she entered her apartment building after smoking a cigarette.

Stewart then followed the woman inside the apartment building, pulled her from her actual apartment unit and then dragged her down the hallway. According to court documents, while being attacked, the woman screamed for help when another resident stepped out of his apartment with a baseball bat. Stewart ran from the scene, but was located after police arrived.

During the investigation, law enforcement learned that Stewart approached another female and grabbed her face and neck while she entered the same apartment building.

By pleading guilty, Stewart admits that he unlawfully entered or unlawfully remained in the victim’s residence with the intent to commit the crime of sexual abuse therein; that he intentionally and substantially interfered with the victim’s personal liberty by moving her from one place to another; and that he – with the threat of physical violence – compelled and induced the other female victim into engaging in conduct for which she had a legal right to abstain.

No additional information can be released by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office at this time pending sentencing, pursuant to the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office communicated with both victims about the pretrial negotiations that occurred in this case to ensure they were fully informed.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director 
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us