PORTLAND AREA MAN SENT TO PRISON FOR 22-YEARS AFTER BREAKING INTO HOME AND ATTEMPTING TO RAPE A WOMAN AS SHE HELD HER BABY AND OTHER CRIMES - 06/18/26

Case: 26CR14608                                                  June 18, 2026

Portland, OR- Judson Defir, 43-years-old was sentenced today to 22 years in prison for a series of crimes against four women in SE Portland on March 15, 2026.

Multnomah County Circuit Judge Celia Howes found Defir guilty of Kidnapping in the First Degree, Attempted Rape in the First Degree, three counts of Sexual Abuse in the first Degree, Attempted Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, Public Indecency and Recklessly Endangering Another Person. The charges reflect crimes committed against all four women, as well as the child who was placed in serious danger by Defir’s actions.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Melissa Marrero prosecuted the case for the state. After the plea and sentencing she said: 

“Through his actions, the defendant absolutely devastated four women, their families and an entire close-knit and wonderful community on March 15. He permanently and significantly damaged the sense of safety they felt their bodies, their homes and their neighborhood. These crimes have had a ripple effect throughout the community, the impact stretching wide.   This resolution ensures accountability for the defendant, long-term safety for the victims and finality following what can be a very difficult court process. The strength shown by the victims and their families throughout this ordeal is commendable. Their quick thinking and action resulted in the swift arrest of the defendant, and very likely saved other victims from being swept up in his crime spree. I want to thank all of them for their courage, strength, patience, and trust as we’ve navigated this process, and I sincerely hope that this result brings them a much needed sense of closure.  When things like this happen in our community, it cannot be tolerated. Today’s sentence sends a strong message that it will not be tolerated. The victims will not tolerate it, the community will not tolerate it and we will not tolerate it.” 

Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez was also involved in the case from the beginning. After the sentencing he said:

“I am very happy with how we were able to resolve this today. It brings a measure of justice and protection to the community which is very important in that he’s receiving a 22-year prison sentence. And it hopefully ends the legal process for the victims in a way that allows them to move forward in their journey towards healing. And I’m just in awe of the victims and their strength. The way that the victims came together and supported each other was incredible.” 

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Portland Police Bureau’s Sex Crimes Unit and Detective Nathan Wollstein for their outstanding work on this case.

The DA’s Office would also like to highlight the work of MCDA Victim Advocate Suzanne Rapanani. She showed constant care and compassion for the victims in this case.

The Facts:

On March 15, 2026 during a warm spring day in Portland, the defendant entered a church and forcibly grabbed a woman’s breast as she attended service with her children. Her scream alerted the congregation and the defendant fled.

Shortly thereafter, the defendant entered a nearby home. Inside, a mother cared for her 10-month-old and three year old children.

The father was outside the house working in the yard.

The victim told police she was in an upstairs bedroom with the children when she heard someone walk in the front door and up the stairs saying, ‘Honey I’m here’. She realized it was not her husband’s voice and saw an unknown male at the threshold of the bedroom door. She described him to police reported he smelled dirty, like unwashed body odor. He was later identified as the defendant, Judson Defir.

Defir  began to approach the victim and she moved her three-year-old behind her into a corner. Defir then grabbed her while she was holding the baby and pulled her out of the room, across the hallway and into the guest bedroom. While he was doing this, she swung and kicked him, trying to get him away from her and becoming injured in the process. Once in the bedroom, the defendant forced the victim onto the bed by her hips. He pressed down on her back and hips and began to pull her sweatpants down, exposing her bottom. She was face-down on the bed and held the baby in her arms. The pressure from the male pressed on her back and caused her to press on the baby. When Defir loosened his hold momentarily, the victim seized the opportunity and ran. 

She placed the baby in the crib and went to her other child, but Defir was close on her heels. She grabbed her other child and barricaded the door with a bookshelf in hopes of keeping Defir out of the bedroom. Defir attempted to force his way into the room while she ran onto the balcony and screamed for help, alerting her husband.  Her husband and multiple people from the church ran to help, but the defendant ran from the home. 

After fleeing the home, Defir sexually assaulted a woman who was walking on the street by forcibly grabbing her genitals. He then attempted to grab a fourth woman, who was able to avoid his advances. Defir also exposed himself while on the street.

Police arrived and found an estimated 15 people following and pointing at the defendant, and he was promptly arrested. 

                                              ###MCDA###