Bend Man Arrested for Drug Trafficking After Multi-County Investigation and Pursuit
By Mindy Gould on Friday, January 14th, 2022 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories
BEND, OR(News Release from Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE))-On January 13th, 2022, the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, in collaboration with the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force, concluded a short-term investigation with the arrest of Schaun Michael Johnson, age 37, of Bend, Oregon.
Detectives identified Johnson from a concurrent investigation as a fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficker in the central Oregon area. After an extensive surveillance operation in several Oregon counties, Johnson was contacted during a traffic stop on Highway 97, between Sunriver and Bend.
During the traffic stop, a Bend Police narcotic K9, “Lady Bug,” alerted to the presence of controlled substances inside the 2021 Ford F-150 Johnson was driving. After the K9 alerted, Johnson sped away, and DCSO deputies briefly pursued before discontinuing the pursuit for public safety interests. Johnson threw large quantities of packaged methamphetamine and fentanyl from the truck onto the highway as he was fleeing. Detectives briefly closed the highway to collect the drug packages from the roadway.
Other Detectives found Johnson’s truck off-road, in the trees, about 3 miles away from the traffic stop just south of the Baker Rd exit. Johnson fled the vehicle and ran into the surrounding woods.
Deputies and Detectives began searching the contained area with the assistance of a DCSO Drone and a US Forest Service Law Enforcement tracking K9. Within minutes, Johnson was found running in the area and immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement officers.
A subsequent search of the truck located additional methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and miscellaneous prescription drugs. Johnson, a previously convicted felon, was also in possession of a stolen pistol at his arrest.
Johnson was lodged in the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Jail with the following charges.
- Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, and Attempted Distribution of Methamphetamine
- Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, and Attempted Distribution of Schedule II Controlled Substance
- Unlawful Possession of Heroin
- Attempt to Elude (Felony)
- Attempt to Elude (Misd)
- Tampering with Evidence
- Felon in Possession of a Dangerous Weapon (Firearm)
- Theft I (Firearm)
Johnson’s bail was enhanced, under ORS 475.900, due to the commercial quantities found in his possession.
CODE Detectives were assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, US Forest Service Law Enforcement, Bend Police Department, Sunriver Police Department, and ODOT Incident Response.
CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp, 541-550-4869 or kentv@deschutes.org
The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies: Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department, Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement task forces to disrupt or dismantle local, multi-state and international drug trafficking organizations.
