MAN GIVEN FOUR YEAR PRISON SENTENCE AFTER GROPING A CHILD, A STRANGER AT THE FRED MEYER STORE AT SE 38th And HAWTHORNE BLVD. -resending To Correct Spelling Error In Headline - 09/26/25

RELEASE DATE: 9/26/25

Case # 24CR39014

Portland, OR- Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Souede today sentenced 43-year-old Adam M. Caldwell to 48 months in prison for groping a stranger, who was a child under the age of 14. Caldwell pled guilty to Attempted Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. Caldwell will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Afton Coppedge prosecuted the case.

After the sentencing she said:

“This was a brazen act of sexual violence against a 10 year old child. On June 20, 2024, Mr. Caldwell entered the Fred Meyer’s on Hawthorne and changed the lives of one family forever and put our community at risk. This type of egregious behavior forces our community into an impossible pos­ition of raising our children to be fierce and independent­, but never knowing what looms around the corner. It creates feelings of helplessness, fear, grief, doubt, and anger. I am proud of the victim’s bravery and deeply appreciate the family’s participation in this process. 

I hope that this sentence sends a message to offenders that our community is determined to speak up against violence and hold them accountable.”

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank Portland Police Officers Brahy, Yoo, and Bernard for their thorough and professional investigation of this matter.

The DA’s office would also like to recognize MCDA Victim Advocate Alie Aguilera for the kindness and compassion shown to the victims in this case.

THE FACTS:

On June 20, 2024, Portland Police responded to the Fred Meyer store at SE 38th and SE Hawthorne in Portland on a report of sexual abuse of a child by a stranger who fled the location. Video surveillance from inside of the store captured Caldwell following the victim, a small child, down the aisle, moving his grocery basket from his left hand to his right hand, looking around to see if anyone was watching him, and then bending down to grab the victim’s buttocks with his, now free, left hand.

The older sibling of the victim came around the corner just as the assault occurred and screamed, drawing the attention of their father. The victim ran away from Caldwell to her father. Caldwell fled the store without being identified, but external video from the parking lot captured him getting into a white Subaru with Oregon Evergreen plates and driving away. Portland Police worked to obtain additional video footage nearby to assist in identifying Caldwell.

More than a month later, police put out a public call for help to identify the suspect. With community assistance, including Caldwell’s family and friends, police were able to identify him as the perpetrator. On July 30, 2024, police arrested Caldwell without incident at his residence. 

                                     ###MCDA###