(The following is forwarded at the request of Massachusetts State Police)

MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT LEADS TO ARREST OF ALLEGED RAPIST BRESNAHAN

MICHAEL T. BRESNAHAN, one of Massachusetts' Most Wanted fugitives, was captured Monday night after he tried to outrun police along a railroad track in Cottage Grove, Oregon, culminating an intense manhunt by Massachusetts State Police, United States Marshals, and local police in Oregon. The arrest of the 36-year-old BRESNAHAN comes nearly a year after he terrorized and sexually assaulted a 61-year-old woman after forcibly entering her home in Winchendon, Massachusetts.

Massachusetts State Police had shifted their search for BRESNAHAN to the Pacific Northwest after he was spotted in a Springfield, Oregon Wal-mart, and later on Interstate 5, on the night of August 2nd. BRESHAHAN was again featured on the television program "America's Most Wanted" on Saturday, August 16th. A day later, on Sunday, viewers of the television show recognized him after he allegedly stole beer from a Safeway convenience store in Cottage Grove, Oregon. US Marshals verified that the beer thief was BRESNAHAN by viewing footage from the store's security camera, and then began blanketing the town with wanted photos of the suspect. Marshals and local police also began an intensive search of forested areas around Cottage Grove because BRESNAHAN had purchased camping equipment in the Wal-mart on August 2nd.

On August 18th, Cottage Grove Police Department received a tip that BRESNAHAN had been spotted walking along railroad tracks in that town. At 5:49 p.m., Cottage Grove Police Officer Carlos Jones, who was off-duty, heard over his police radio about the latest BRESNAHAN sighting and drove toward the tracks in his personal vehicle. Officer Jones spotted BRESNAHAN walking south on railroad tracks near Lane and Douglas avenues in Cottage Grove and called for other officers to assist him. As Cottage Grove police officers began to converge on the area, BRESNAHAN started to run northbound on the railroad track and then east on Villard Avenue, over the tracks. Officer Jones, still pursuing in his personal vehicle, caught up to BRESNAHAN, exited his car, and ordered him to the ground at gunpoint as other officers arrived and handcuffed the suspect.

BRESNAHAN was booked by the local police and will be arraigned as a fugitive from justice. He will eventually be returned to Massachusetts, where he will be arraigned in Worcester County.

BRESNAHAN was wanted for breaking into the Winchendon home of his victim, a former school teacher, early on the morning of August 30th, 2007. Armed with a knife, he held her against her will for more than two hours while assaulting her. Based on evidence gathered during a subsequent investigation, Winchendon Police obtained an arrest warrant for BRESNAHAN out of the Winchendon District Court. Soon after, the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section began searching for BRESNAHAN.

BRESNAHAN's arrest was the result of a cooperative, multi-agency law enforcement effort that involved the Massachusetts State Police, the US Marshals Service, the US Forest Service, the Office of Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, the Winchendon Police Department, the Oregon State Police, and the Springfield, Oregon, and Cottage Grove, Oregon, Police Departments. Police noted the assistance of the general public and the media in generating tips throughout the manhunt for BRESNAHAN, who was featured on the national television program "America's Most Wanted" and on numerous local media outlets in Massachusetts and Oregon.

Photograph Source: Massachusetts State Police

### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###


Attached Media Files: Bresnahan.jpg

On August 13, 2008 the Oregon State Police, assisted by the Ontario Police Department and the Malheur County Sheriff's Office, executed a search warrant at the residence of JOSEPH TRACY GARNER, in Ontario, Oregon.

Police arrested GARNER, age 42 for seven (7) counts of ONLINE SEXUAL CORRUPTION OF A CHILD II, which are class C felonies. GARNER was lodged in the Malheur County Adult Jail on the above mentioned charges. The investigation is on-going and all further inquires should be referred to the Malheur County District Attorneys Office.

Contact:

Deputy DA Lung Hung
Malheur County District Attorneys Office
Phone 541-473-5127

Dozens of employers, veteran service organizations, and community groups will come together for a Veteran Career and Benefit fair to be held at Blue Mountain Community College on Saturday, August 16, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event, sponsored by the Oregon National Guard Reintegration Team, is aimed at helping service members and their families find employment and access benefits.
The event is open to not only members of the Oregon National Guard, but all Servicemembers, veterans, and their families.
"We've had 463 new hires in a 17-18 month period and not all are Servicemembers," said Sgt. 1st Class Phil Maas, Program Manager for the Career Transition Assistance Program. "We've been very successful for family members.
Members of the Oregon National Guard Reintegration Team are available for interviews this week. Blue Mountain Community College is located at 2411 NW Carden Ave., Pendleton, Oregon 97801.

An alarming noticeable increase in urine-filled plastic containers disposed along a short section of Interstate 84 in eastern Oregon is causing concern for litter crews and warnings from police and the Oregon Trucking Association (OTA).

According to Oregon State Police (OSP) Sergeant Jason Reese, the OSP Ontario Area Command office was contacted this week by an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) litter crew advising they picked up an estimated 200 – 300 urine filled plastic bottles in a 25-mile stretch of Interstate 84. ODOT litter crews also report similar findings but believe the recent collection along this stretch of Interstate 84 is much higher than other highways.

"The main portion, about 100 bottles, was found on the eastbound side in a three mile stretch called ‘Three Mile Hill' between milepost 356 and 359. This area is prone to this problem because commercial trucks are driving at a slow speed and drivers can urinate into bottles and toss them out the window," said Reese.

OSP and OTA agree that this is not a problem exclusively caused by truck drivers, but those drivers contacted as they travel through the area have told troopers that a small portion of drivers will do this. Reese said commercial truck drivers mentioned the price of fuel may be causing drivers to travel slower than normal to save fuel while at the same time passing rest areas or truck stops. These drivers were unanimous in saying disposing of human waste in this manner "is very disgusting and not professional."

This problem is specifically addressed in Oregon law and is a misdemeanor offense to which an offender may be arrested, lodged in jail, and be fined up to $250. A person commits the offense of Improperly Disposing of Human Waste "if the person is operating or riding in a motor vehicle and the person throws, puts or otherwise leaves a container of urine or other human waste on or beside a highway."

Oregon State Police, ODOT and Oregon Trucking Association join together asking all drivers to help keep Oregon beautiful and to stop littering along our highways. When traveling, plan ahead and keep track of available rest areas and businesses where one can use restrooms and dispose of garbage in appropriate containers.

Photograph Source: Oregon State Police

### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###


Attached Media Files: urinebottles.1.JPG , urinebottles.2.JPG , urinebottles.3.JPG

THE FOLLOWING NEWS RELEASE AND INFORMATION IS FORWARDED AT THE REQUEST OF MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE

*** Massachusetts State Police Working With Law Enforcement Agencies in Pacific Northwest to Track Fugitive Michael Breshahan ***

Massachusetts State Police announce that MICHAEL T. BRESNAHAN, one of Massachusetts' Most Wanted fugitives, was spotted last weekend in a store in Springfield, Oregon and was last seen hitchhiking on a highway in that state. BRESNAHAN, age 36, is wanted for terrorizing and sexually assaulting a 61-year-old woman after forcibly entering her home in Winchendon, Mass., last year.

BRESNAHAN, who has been featured on the television show "America's Most Wanted," was seen Saturday night by a viewer, purchasing camping equipment in a Walmart in Springfield, Oregon. Further information developed by local police there revealed that BRESNAHAN was last seen hitchhiking later that night on northbound Interstate 5 in Springfield.

Investigators believe that BRESNAHAN frequents truck stops and may be hitchhiking with truck drivers.

An image and description of BRESNAHAN is included with this release, as are surveillance images taken from a Walmart security camera, positively identifying BRESNAHAN. Massachusetts State Police warn that BRESNAHAN should be considered dangerous and potentially armed, and urge anyone who sees him to contact police immediately.

BRESNAHAN broke into the Winchendon home of his victim, a former school teacher, early on the morning of Aug. 30, 2007. Armed with a knife, he held her against her will for more than two hours while assaulting her. Based on evidence gathered during a subsequent investigation, Winchendon Police obtained an arrest warrant for BRESNAHAN out of the Winchendon District Court. Winchendon is located in north central Massachusetts.

BRESNAHAN is 5'9" tall and weighs approximately 160 lbs. He is Caucasian, with a light complexion and blue eyes, and brown hair, which he may be wearing long or in a pony tail. BRESNAHAN has several tattoos: a woman's head on his chest, a music note on his wrist, a panther on his right upper arm, a rose and heart on his right forearm, and an eagle on his left forearm. A fan of rock music, BRESNAHAN enjoys playing guitar. He may be using aliases.

Anyone with information about MICHAEL BRESHNAHAN or his whereabouts is urged to call the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section at 1-800-KAPTURE (1-800-527-8873). Information related to BRESNAHAN's whereabouts in Oregon can also be forwarded to Oregon State Police Northern Command Center dispatch at 800-452-7888.

Photograph Source - Massachusetts State Police

### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###


Attached Media Files: Breshnahn.jpeg , CA6ZINQH.jpeg , CAJI21R7.jpeg , CAQVYRI5.jpeg

A suspect arrested in connection with a November 2007 Ontario-area home invasion robbery and a burglary of a separate unoccupied house was found guilty today in Malheur County Circuit Court on four different felony charges.

State, county and city police agencies in Oregon and Idaho were involved in the investigation of a home invasion robbery on November 22, 2007 at 3991 Highway 201 in Ontario. On March 6, 2008, Idaho State Police arrested ANDREW AARON TUCKER, age 39, from Boise, and lodged him in Ada County Jail as a Fugitive from Justice based upon an Oregon arrest warrant.

According to Malheur County District Attorney Dan Norris, TUCKER was found guilty following a one-week trial on the following charges:

* Burglary in the First Degree
* Burglary in the Second Degree
* Robbery in the Second Degree
* Aggravated Theft

Sentencing is being scheduled for a later date. Other arrests may be made in the future related to this investigation.

Oregon State Police were assisted during this investigation by Malheur County District Attorney's Office, Malheur County Sheriff's Office, Ontario Police Department, Nyssa Police Department, Boise Police Department, Nampa Police Department, and Idaho State Police Criminal Investigation Unit.

Photograph – ANDREW TUCKER

### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###


Attached Media Files: Andy Tucker.JPG

The Oregon National Guard plans to activate more than 300 Guard members to attend Firefighter II certification training at three sites in Oregon. The weeklong training begins July 27 and provides additional trained resources for the fire season in Oregon.
"We've seen very active fire seasons for our neighbors to the north and south, and we may face a similar situation in Oregon," said Governor Ted Kulongoski. "We have robust resources already in place, but I want to ensure we have the ability to respond with additional support if needed. That's why I've asked the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon Military Department to work together and train our citizen-Soldiers and Airmen."
The week-long training includes two courses teaching wildland fire behavior as well as other entry-level safety and firefighting skills.
After certification, the Guardsmen can be deployed on 48-hour notice to wildfires as members of 20-person firefighting hand crews should the Governor declare a state of emergency. They will be used primarily to strengthen firelines and support agency firefighters.
Other states may also be able to call on them through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact if not needed in Oregon. The EMAC is a formal agreement among the several states and territories to provide mutual support during emergencies. National Guard resources are called to assist when all commercial resources have been exhausted.
"Containment levels are increasing in California, and Oregon is having a slower fire season, but the potential for fires is still there," said Kulongoski. "This training is about being fully prepared."
The training cadre includes personnel from the Oregon Department of Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, and Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. Training will take place at Camp Rilea near Astoria, at the Pendleton Armory in Pendleton, and at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls.
Oregon recently provided support to California through EMAC by sending crews and a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. The dual-rotor CH-47 is able to precisely drop 2,000 gallons of water from a bucket suspended below the aircraft. The Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordination Group, an association of federal and state fire agencies in Oregon and Washington, currently has some 70 private contract hand firefighting crews deployed to California.
The U.S. Forest Service and the state of Oregon are funding the training.
The media are welcome to observe field training and certification at each of the three training locations. The field training likely will be either July 31 or Aug. 1, and times will be released in later advisories. Contact the Oregon National Guard to coordinate coverage.