Jenkins to become a U.S. attorney

By Terry Murry on Monday, January 18th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – Umatilla County Chief Deputy District Attorney Jaclyn Jenkins is leaving for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Portland. Jenkins was raised in Hermiston and said the decision to move is one of the hardest she’s made.

“My friends in high school always wanted to leave,” she said. “I just wanted to stay, and I’ve always had to go. I went away to college, to law school in New York. It’s hard to leave my office. My boss is my friend.”

Jenkins handles almost all of the office’s Measure 11 trials and is especially expert in child abuse and sex abuse charges. She also handles all the cases brought by the Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team.

She said she knew since she was a child that she wanted to be a lawyer.

“My mom had lost us,” she said. “We had entered foster care, and by ‘we,’ I mean my sister and I. My aunt was actually my foster parent, and I had a lawyer who really helped me to make some good choices in my life including me staying in Umatilla County with my aunt.”