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News Release

Bend Man Arrested For Cocaine Trafficking After Long Term Investigation -06/12/23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: June 12th, 2023

Released by: Sergeant Kent Vander Kamp 

Bend, OR – 

Today, a Bend man has been indicted by the Deschutes County Grand Jury on several controlled substance and a possession of silencer charges. This was the result of a months-long investigation by the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team and was concluded when drug agents executed a search warrant at his home on the 17000 block of Kasserman Dr in the Three Rivers area of Bend.

On April 5th, 2023, the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, in collaboration with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, concluded a long-term investigation and surveillance operation with the arrest of Justin Thomas Polit, age 45, of Bend, Oregon.

In early 2023, drug agents identified Justin Polit as a cocaine trafficker in central Oregon. The initial investigation alleges Mr. Polit has been importing large quantities of cocaine into central Oregon, where he distributes throughout Bend area. 

After a surveillance operation, CODE Detectives, with the assistance of Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office deputies, stopped Mr. Polit while he was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado on Lazy River Dr, near South Century.  

Because of his extensive criminal history, Lazy River Dr was closed while patrol deputies and drug agents conducted a high-risk traffic stop.  

Based on the investigation, CODE Detectives applied for and obtained a Search Warrant for Mr. Polit’s truck and home. 

A subsequent search of Polit’s home located a substantial quantity of cocaine, currency, firearms, firearm suppressors, silencers and a 3D printing system used to manufacture the illegal firearm parts. 

3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. There are many different software products that can be used to design a 3d printed object from the ground up or download it from a pre-made 3D CAD library.

In March of 2022 and unrelated to this case, Mr. Polit petitioned the Deschutes County Circuit Court to allow him to purchase and possess firearms under Oregon Revised Statute 166.274. Although the courts restored his gun rights, he is not permitted to manufacture or possess firearm silencers. 

Mr. Polit was released at the scene with a citation to appear while charges were referred to the US Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Deschutes County District Attorney's Office. Federal charges are still being considered.

Today, Mr. Polit was indicted by the Deschutes County Grand Jury with the following charges. 

Unlawful Manufacture of Cocaine

Unlawful Possession of a Substantial Quantity of Cocaine

Attempted Unlawful Delivery of Cocaine

Felon in Possession of a Machine Gun, Short-Barreled Firearm or Silencer

Criminal complaints contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp, 541-550-4869 or kentv@deschutes.org 

The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies: Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department, Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement task forces to disrupt or dismantle local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations.

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