Sheriff’s Office Seeks Assistance in Identifying Suspect

On Tuesday, December 26, 2023, deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were alerted to the discovery of a hidden recording device in a fitting room at a clothing store. The device was seized, and the Washington County Digital Forensic Lab (DFL) was enlisted to help identify the individual responsible for its placement.

By February 6, 2024, the DFL had analyzed the device and returned it to detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit, who discovered a series of photos on the device that featured the potential suspect. No other images or videos of potential victims were found on the device.

Efforts to identify the suspect were expanded to include local police agencies, leading to a breakthrough when the Scappoose Police Department reported an incident involving the same individual.

On December 21, 2023, the Scappoose Police Department received a report from a victim who came forward to disclose an incident that occurred at a Fred Meyer store on December 13, 2023. The victim reported being groped by the suspect while seeking assistance in finding items in the store. The victim later positively identified the suspect, through a photograph, as the individual who had placed the hidden recording device in the Washington County clothing store fitting room.

The suspect is described as an Asian male, believed to be in his 40s or 50s, with black hair and glasses.

Attached is a photo of the suspect. The community’s assistance is requested in identifying this individual. Please contact the Washington County Non-Emergency Dispatch at 503-629-0111 with any information. WCSO Case# 23-19225.