Transient arrested on secret indictment charges
By Terry Murry on Saturday, May 8th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
HERMISTON – Hermiston police arrested a transient, 26-year-old Kevin Melendez and Rachel Cruz, 26, of Hermiston in response to a call to report trespassing Friday. Both were found to be wanted on warrants.
Cruz was the subject of a bench warrant for failure to appear and was jailed with $20,000 bail. Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston said that Melendez was wanted on a secret indictment arrest warrant issued by a Umatilla County grand jury.
Melendez resisted arrest, and faces that charge as well as the charges detailed in the secret indictment. They are first-degree robbery, second-degree robbery, attempted unlawful use of a weapon, second-degree abuse of a corpse, felony conspiracy, misdemeanor menacing, and third-degree theft.
His preliminary bail is set at $806,000. Edmiston said any details about the secret indictment needs to be released by the Umatilla County District Attorney’s Office.
This is a breaking story. It will be updated as more details are learned.
