HILLSBORO, Ore.- A federal complaint has been filed against a Washington County man for his threats to commit a school shooting.
Braeden Richard Riess, age 26, will be charged with the federal crime of Interstate Communication of a Threat.
According to court documents, in May of 2022, a federal agency alerted Sherwood police after it received threats from Mr. Riess via its website threatening to shoot children at a particular Sherwood elementary school before killing himself. Mr. Riess was arrested and remains in custody. Parents from the affected school were notified of the incident.
The case was referred to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution. On May 17, 2022, the defendant was arraigned on six counts of Disorderly Conduct in the First Degree, the maximum available charge under Oregon law. However, because Oregon law does not provide sufficient means to address threats of mass violence, this office reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to refer the case for federal prosecution.
Oregon law does not provide adequate means to address threats of mass violence to public places such as schools or places of worship. District Attorney Kevin Barton is actively working with multiple state legislators to remedy the issue. In 2020, DA Barton collaborated with lawmakers to craft HB 4145 which sought to address this gap in Oregon law. However, despite broad support, that bill did not pass. This office continues to advocate for the legislature to address the problem and to ensure we have the public safety tools needed to keep our communities safe.
HILLSBORO, Ore.- On June 8, 2022, a Washington County jury found Jakob Paul Azevedo guilty of second-degree manslaughter and reckless driving. The defendant also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of intoxicants. Senior Deputy District Attorney Andrew Freeman prosecuted the case before Judge Brandon Thompson.
On November 11, 2019, at about 7:30 p. m., the defendant was driving a Ford F-350 south on Roy Rodgers Road approaching Sherwood, Oregon. As he crossed the bridge over the Tualatin River, Mr. Azevedo veered into the oncoming lane and collided head-on with a small BMW convertible driven by Mr. Pyanin Sin. The BMW suffered catastrophic damage and spun into the jersey barrier before coming to rest in the center of the roadway. The truck flipped on its side and slid several feet down the road before coming to rest. The defendant suffered minor injuries and a deputy was able to assist him out of his truck. First responders extracted Mr. Sin from his crushed vehicle so he could be transported to Oregon Health & Science University by LifeFlight, but he succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.
The defendant repeatedly denied consuming alcohol that night to both police and medical providers. However, the crash scattered beer cans from the truck into the roadway, and medical testing later revealed Mr. Azevedo’s BAC to be .17% almost two hours after impact. After the trial jury was picked, the defendant chose to plead guilty to the crime of DUII shortly before opening statements began. The evidence at trial then proved him guilty of the remaining counts.
Initial reports after the crash incorrectly placed the blame on the victim. Only after an extensive follow-up investigation was the State able to prove that Mr. Azevedo was at fault and that he killed Mr. Sin through his reckless and intoxicated driving.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to commend the Sin family for the grace and patience they showed through this long process. This office also acknowledges the hard work of the members of the Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Team (CART) who conducted an extensive follow-up investigation which was instrumental in holding the defendant accountable for the death of Mr. Sin.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 5, 2022, at 1:00 p.m.
HILLSBORO, Ore.- On June 6, 2022, Washington County Circuit Court Judge Oscar Garcia sentenced Darby Jay Martin, age 28, to 15 years in prison. This sentence comes after the defendant previously pleaded guilty to first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree sexual abuse, using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct, and two counts of first-degree unlawful delivery of a schedule I controlled substance to a minor. Deputy District Attorney Sara Loebner prosecuted the case against the defendant.
In June of 2021, a teenage victim contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office. She told investigators that the defendant took her and her cousin, who was also a minor at the time, to his home. He then gave both victims LSD before sexually assaulting one of the teens.
While speaking with detectives, the reporting victim told officers about a third teenager who was sexually involved with the defendant. This victim was interviewed by experts at the Amani Center. She told them Mr. Martin also provided her with drugs before he sexually assaulted her. This third victim told officers of additional teenagers who were involved with the defendant. St. Helens police investigated. They identified two additional teenagers who reported similar behavior by Mr. Martin.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to commend the initial victim for reporting this abuse and acknowledges the additional victims who aided in this case. This office also thanks the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, including Detective Thomas Bowler, and St. Helens police for their work.
Mr. Martin will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.