Wanted fugitive arrested, drugs seized in College Place
By Dan Thesman on Friday, January 3rd, 2025 in Columbia Basin News Featured Stories More Top Stories
COLLEGE PLACE – A detective from the Walla Walla Regional Drug and Gang Task Force identified Demus Montez, 39, of Hermiston in College Place Monday afternoon. Montez, with multiple arrest warrants from Oregon, tried to escape but was captured by law enforcement after being identified near Southeast 12th Street and South College Avenue.
Montez had two warrants for probation violations. One from Umatilla County with the original charge of eluding law enforcement, and one from Union County with the original charges of unlawful use of a weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, and criminal mischief. He was cited for obstructing law enforcement during Monday’s incident.
His girlfriend, Jolene R. Pooley, 37, of Umatilla, interfered and was arrested for rendering criminal assistance and two counts of knowingly possessing controlled substances after a K9 unit alerted to illegal substances in Pooley’s vehicle, which was seized. Detectives found suspected methamphetamine and prescription narcotic medication on Pooley at the time of her arrest.
Editor’s note: According to police records, the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office changed Montez’s hometown from Hermiston to Pendleton in October 2024. He is reported to have a long criminal history in both Umatilla and Morrow counties, totaling at least 29 previous arrests with 82 criminal charges.
