Known drug trafficker arrested by Baker City Police
By Garrett Christensen on Wednesday, June 10th, 2026 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY — (Press release from the Baker City Police Department) On Thursday, June 4, 2026, detectives and patrol officers with the Baker City Police Department arrested Steven Lynn Whitney on two separate warrants. One warrant was a felony State of Oregon Parole Board warrant for a post-prison supervision violation. The second was a federal warrant issued by the United States District Court charging Whitney with possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Several months ago, Baker City Police Department initiated an investigation into the alleged trafficking of narcotics into Eastern Oregon, specifically Baker City, by Steven Lynn Whitney. Whitney is known to the Baker City Police Department due to prior arrests involving narcotics trafficking and a firearm-related offense.
In early April Whitney was stopped on Interstate 84 and was found to be in possession of about two pounds of methamphetamine and a handgun. That investigation resulted in a federal indictment and the warrant referenced above.
On June 4, Whitney was taken into custody in Baker City following a brief pursuit related to the outstanding warrants. During that encounter, he was found to be in possession of about one pound of methamphetamine along with items commonly associated with distribution of controlled substances. Whitney was lodged at the Baker County Jail on the warrants.
The Baker County District Attorney’s Office is working with the United States Attorney’s Office out of Portland Oregon on the June 4, incident in Baker City.
One of the primary missions of the Baker City Police Department Detective Unit is to investigate drug use and drug trafficking within the local community and to disrupt and dismantle mid- to upper-level drug trafficking organizations and individuals. These efforts help reduce violent crime and provide valuable intelligence and investigative resources to local, state, and federal law enforcement partners. Detectives assigned to these investigations are members of the Baker County Major Crime Team and regularly collaborate with outside agencies and task forces to accomplish this mission.
Chief Ty Duby
Baker City Police Department
