News

In November 2018, detectives from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were asked to investigate allegations of child sexual abuse involving a specific former faculty member at Catlin Gabel School. Detectives learned that the suspect had died earlier that year and concluded the investigation. At the time, investigators were not aware of allegations involving any other staff members.

On Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 5:05 p.m., deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a reported armed robbery in a parking lot near the Nike Company Store. Deputies arrived less than a minute later and found both parties still on scene in the 3400 block of SW Knowlton Road, near Beaverton.

On Tuesday, December 17, 2019, Washington County Sheriff’s Office Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) investigators executed a search warrant at 2944 NE Moda Way in Hillsboro and a second search warrant at 1218 SE Alder Street in Hillsboro. Both search warrants were the result of a single investigation.

On Sunday, December 29, 2019, just before 11 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a welfare check at NW Cedar Canyon Rd. and NW Killin Rd. near the community of Banks.  A passing driver told dispatch the driver of a blue 1991 Geo Prism was slumped over behind the wheel near that intersection.

On Sunday, December 29, 2019, at 1:16 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a stabbing at a house in the 300 block of SW Devonwood Avenue.  An 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy called 911 and said they had been at the house when they were both stabbed and were on Highway 26 driving to the hospital.

After five days of searching for Ms. Allyson Watterson, the search and rescue operations have been suspended.  Allyson has not been located at this time.  The decision to suspend that phase of the investigation was made after the search and rescue teams spent thousands of search hours covering an area of about 1,600 acres. 

On December 3, 2019, Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies booked Michael William Hern, 42, on 26 sex crimes covering a span of more than two decades. Mr. Hern is from the Washington County area, but was last living in Cave Junction, OR. Detectives learned Mr. Hern abused at least seven girls, but due to the statute of limitations can only be charged with abusing six girls at this time.

Isabel Espinoza was located early this morning and is back with her family. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public for their help.

On Tuesday December 4, 2019, at 9:31 a.m., a Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a call near the 8500 block of SW Oleson Rd. regarding a male who was making gun gestures at passing vehicles. When the deputy arrived, he was confronted by 34-year-old Daniel Bean of Portland. Mr. Bean pointed a rifle at the deputy then retreated into his home.

In July and October 2019, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office conducted two child predator stings where investigators posed as children online. As part of those stings, deputies arrested 15 men. During those missions, investigators were chatting with dozens of people and several of those conversations continued over the following months.