September 4, 2024
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt today announced that a Multnomah County Circuit Court judge sentenced James Griffin, 39, to 175 months in the Department of Corrections in relation to a sexual assault that occurred in the Parkrose neighborhood in June of 2022.
Case Facts
In the early morning hours of June 19, 2022, officers with Portland Police Bureau responded to the area of 11618 NE Sumner Street on a reported sexual assault. Law enforcement contacted the victim, who reported having been held in an RV and sexually abused. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where she underwent a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE). Based on information provided by the victim, law enforcement was able to locate the RV. James Griffin was the resident of the RV and he matched the victim’s description of the attacker. Law enforcement spoke to Griffin at the scene and he was immediately taken into custody without incident. DNA found on swabs taken in the SAFE were tested and the sample was matched to Griffin’s DNA.
Trial & Sentencing
Deputy District Attorneys Sean Hughey and Julian Samuels handled prosecution for the state. On June 13, 2024, a 12-person jury found Griffin guilty of two counts of rape in the first degree, two counts of sodomy, sex abuse in the first degree, coercion, and assault in the fourth degree. At a sentencing hearing on September 4, 2024 Judge Cheryl Albrecht sentenced Griffin to 175 months of prison time. He will be transferred into the custody of the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the impact of this crime on the victim and on the wider community and thank all who contributed to the successful resolution of this case, with special appreciation for the dedicated work of PPB Detective Nathan Wollstein and MCDA victim advocate Alie Aguilera.
*Original Message (6/14/2024)
Jury Finds James Griffin Guilty of Rape, Sexual Abuse
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt today announced that a Multnomah County jury delivered a guilty verdict for James Earl Griffin Jr., 39, for assaulting, raping, and sodomizing an adult female victim in June 2022.
Trial & Verdict
The trial took place in front of Judge Cheryl Albrecht from June 10-13, with Deputy District Attorneys Julian Samuels and Sean Hughey as prosecutors. The 12-person jury delivered the verdict on June 13, finding Griffin guilty of:
The jury also found Griffin not guilty of two counts of Kidnapping in the First Degree.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2024, in front of Judge Albrecht. Griffin remains in custody in Multnomah County pending sentencing.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office thanks the Portland Police Bureau for their assistance with this case, in particular Detective Nathan Wollstein.