JCSO SVU Detectives Arrested Prospect Man on Five Child Sex Crime Charges
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit detectives arrested a Prospect man Wednesday morning on five charges of child sex crimes. The suspect, Mickey Lee Ryan Jr., 35, of Prospect, is charged with first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sodomy, and two counts of first-degree sexual abuse. He was lodged in the Jackson County Jail. JCSO detectives arrested Ryan without incident just before 10 AM on Wednesday, April 15, at a trailer park in the 400 block of Mill Creek Drive in Prospect. Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare caseworkers from Jackson and Josephine counties assisted. This case is open and ongoing. There is no further information for release at this time. ...Read more

Wolf Creek Drug Trafficking Organization Busted after Six-Week Investigation

The Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) Team, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Medford, Oregon State Police, Grants Pass Police, Jackson County Sheriff's Office, and the California Highway Patrol concluded a drug investigation April 10th. The six-week investigation in Oregon and California resulted in the execution of three residential search warrants in Wolf Creek, and one in Corning California. RADE and the DEA identified a drug trafficking organization operating out of Wolf Creek was being supplied with methamphetamine from Corning. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop April 8th on Marshall Clifford De La Garza, 39. He was found to be transporting around 90 pounds of meth to Josephine County. The three residential search warrants executed in Wolf Creek led to the seizure of multiple firearms and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Police arrested Johnny Dean Davis Jr., 43, Daniel Cody Green, 44, and Stephen Ray Higgins, 56. ...Read more

Board Denies Library District Withdrawal Petition

The Board of Commissioners moved to deny the petition to withdraw from the Josephine Community Library District during today's Weekly Business Session. It was determined to be feasible for the territory, presented by Winnie and Edgar Michael Pelfrey in the petition, to receive services from the Library. The motion to deny the petition passed unanimously. Mr. Pelfrey had formally requested the removal from the Library Taxing District, citing safety concerns regarding a reported homeless presence and Rogue Indivisible meeting at the library. He objected to taxation from services not being used. When asked by Commissioner Gary Richardson if there were any barriers preventing the resident or owner of the property from accessing the library, council for the district said it's surrounded by public roads. He also cited the availability of online library services. Following the public hearing, the community brought topics to the board including ONC Funds, funding the animal shelter, news dissemination, code and DEQ enforcement, political sign placement, and a potential petition to bring the Library District to the voters. ...Read more