Local News

Friday, the Jackson County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team completed a six-month investigation arresting two, capturing 4000 pounds of pot, and seizing nearly $800,000 in cash.

Detectives served 11 search warrants Thursday morning, at residences and warehouses in Ashland and Medford in connection to a black-market cannabis dispensary operation. Investigators discovered a dangerous and illegal Butane Honey Oil (BHO) laboratory in one of the warehouses.

IMET detectives served search warrants at a residence in the 2800 block of Orrin Street in Medford, the 500 block of West Nevada Street in Ashland, and at three warehouses in the 800 block of South Riverside Avenue in Medford. Investigators seized approximately 4,320 lbs. of marijuana and marijuana extracts, 23 grams of meth, and seven firearms. Approximately $790,000 was seized from the unlicensed cannabis business.

Two suspects were arrested as a result of the investigation. Robert Denis Guerin, 67, of Ashland, and Kolton John Chournos, 32, of Medford. Guerin was charged with multiple counts of unlawful possession, manufacture, and delivery of a marijuana item. Chournos was charged with several counts of unlawful possession, manufacture, and delivery of a marijuana item and methamphetamine.

 

Southern Oregon University has received an $89,745 grant from Travel Oregon to develop an accessibility training program for tourism business leaders, with the goal of ensuring that all visitors to the state -- including those with disabilities -- feel valued and welcome.

The initiative is further supported by a $5,000 grant from the SOU Institute for Applied Sustainability Innovation Fund.

The work planned under the new grants will build upon a smaller Travel Oregon-funded project last year that evaluated the accessibility of tourism in Oregon. This year's project -- which will include hosting 12 training workshops across the state -- aims to create a statewide network of "Accessible Tourism Ambassadors" made up of visitor industry professionals.

Last year's project found funding challenges, a lack of accessibility information and training, gaps in access to products and services, and uneven hospitality for those with disabilities. It determined that existing training often focused too narrowly on specific disabilities, leaving broader needs unmet -- but also that many in the tourism industry were eager to learn and recognized the need for additional comprehensive training.

 

A Grants Pass company is celebrating 10 years of empowering the next generation of technology leaders through its annual Tech Mastery Scholarship Program.

This year, three standout Oregon students were awarded scholarships from Rentec Direct for their passion for innovation and their drive to make a lasting impact in the tech industry.

Students enrolled in technology-related programs at Oregon State University, Portland State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University were each awarded $500 scholarships to support their academic journeys.

All three 2025 Tech Mastery Scholarship recipients are either Oregon residents or currently attend an Oregon-based college or university. They are Mariam Saleh, a junior at Portland State pursuing a degree in Computer & Data Science; Esso Alvarez, a freshman at Oregon State majoring in Mechanical Engineering; and Carson Willard, a Rogue River resident and freshman at Embry-Riddle pursuing a degree in Aeronautical Science.

 

Josephine County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a California man after responding to a trespassing call to the Rogue River Resort. The 911 caller stated there is a car that doesn’t belong there, broken down and the caller believed the man was intoxicated, didn’t know how he got there and was totally out it. The suspect stated he was on parole. The suspect, identified at Logan Andrew Kine, 36, was reported to be walking away toward the River’s Edge restaurant when apprehended by Deputies. His parole officer was contacted and placed a detainer on Kine, who was then lodged in the County Jail on the Post Prison Supervised Sanction. He remained in custody Monday morning.

 

A man who cut a hole through the back wall of the Pickers Paradise pawn shop in Medford and stole 16 guns and other goods worth about $40,000 was sentenced last week to five years of federal probation.

The Oregonian reports US District Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai issued the sentence to 40-year-old Gregory Allen Berry, noting that Berry also faces three years in state prison for a burglary spree that began less than a week before the pawn shop break-in and continued months later.

Police responded to Pickers Paradise on South Pacific Highway on February 5, 2023, after someone had broken into the store overnight and stole 14 rifles and two shotguns, according to police and prosecutors. Berry had removed a fence and then cut a hole through the back wall of the shop to enter sometime between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.. He took off with the stolen guns, drove to a campsite and buried the guns in a hole. He then returned to the pawn shop to steal $40,000 worth of gaming systems, coins, jewelry, and sports cards.

After his arrest on February 29, 2024, Berry said he had intentionally targeted the pawn store because he was angry with the business "over the price of something" during a prior transaction he had there. He was high on fentanyl at the time of the burglary and subsequently traded two of the guns for more fentanyl, Berry told investigators. Most of the guns have not been recovered.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office detained a suspect with multiple warrants out for their arrest at the local 7-11.

On Saturday, it was reported Anthony Mooney was at the Dollar Store located at 1200 NW 6th. The deputy then discovered Mooney drove to 7-11 in a yellow Mini Cooper.

The deputy followed Mooney inside the store, contacting and intercepting him at taser point. Mooney then fled into a closet while the deputy ordered all customers to exit the store.

Mooney again attempted to flee, but complied when ordered to the ground at taser point. He was placed into custody on 40 counts including theft, burglary, and criminal mischief.

 

Suspected thief arrested Saturday afternoon after a Grants Pass Police Officer observed a vehicle involved in a theft Friday. The officer saw a man exit the vehicle who was identified as Andrew John Miller, 34, who was the registered owner of the vehicle. The Officer advised Miller there was probable cause for his arrest and not to leave. Miller elected to flee on foot toward a field near WinCo where he was taken into custody and lodged in the county jail. Miller is facing charges of theft III and escape III. Miller remained in custody this morning. Miller was also arrested in July for criminal mischief, theft I and possession of burglary tools.

 

The Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement (MADGE) team has been working diligently to get drugs and firearms off streets and out of the hands of criminals. Recently, MADGE has seized nearly 40 pounds of methamphetamine along with firearms and other controlled substances. They highlight two of the larger cases. After a 5-month investigation, MADGE arrested 44-year-old Christopher Boyd Stevenson at a home in the 400-block of B Street in Ashland. The investigation resulted in a search warrant being served on the suspect's residence where over five pounds of meth was seized along with five firearms and three ounces of cocaine. Stevenson is a convicted felon and he was lodged at the Jackson County Jail. On August 12th, MADGE conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 45-year-old Juan Flores-Gutierrez. The traffic stop resulted in the seizure of two pounds of meth. Investigators then located 32 additional pounds of meth at the suspect's home in the 1200-block of West 8th Street in Medford. This arrest was the result of a multi-year investigation into drug trafficking being conducted by Flores-Gutierrez from Southern California to the Rogue Valley.

 

GP Police Officers arrested and lodged a 29-year-old female early Sunday morning after responding to a trespassing call at 2030 Redwood Avenue. Arriving officers found Sarah Ann Yeatts in the back seat of a taxi putting on sunglasses and looking away shortly after 1 a.m. The officer knew Yeatts and was aware of an outstanding misdemeanor warrant out of Curry County for her arrest and that local authorities had probable cause for an active theft III case. The young woman was advised she was under arrest and refuse commands, then continued to writhe and twist to prevent being removed from the taxi. Once removed she continued to resist but was secured in the rear of the patrol vehicle, where she slipped out of handcuffs. She was then removed from the vehicle, the cuffs repositioned and leg restraints were added.