7 arrested in Montavilla ‘drug house’ bust

See why law enforcement decided to look into this outer East Portland residence. Most of those arrested were out of jail, within hours …

Before dawn, members of the Portland Police Bureau and their Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) get ready to serve a search warrant at a house in the Montavilla neighborhood.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

For some time, Montavilla neighbors have been complaining about possible illegal activities at a home along SE 92nd Avenue, between Mill and Market Streets.

Members of the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct Neighborhood Response Team looked into “numerous complaints” about drug activity connected to it. Working with the Bureau’s East Precinct Street Crimes Unit, they obtained a search warrant.

In the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, February 18, officers from PPB SERT officers served the search warrant there. They found a trove of evidence – and arrested seven individuals.

Here’s some of the drug paraphernalia officers found during the drug raid. PPB image

“Officers saw hundreds of needles and other items consistent with drug use during the warrant execution, and approximately 1.8 grams of methamphetamine and 2 grams of heroin were recovered,” reported PPB Assistant Chief Mike Frome.

From this photo, it’s clear where many of the bicycles stolen in outer East Portland ended up – this chop shop was inside the raided house. PPB image

Arrested at the home were: [Top row] Lorie Jean Turner, Wade M. Paxton, Carleen Maria Hunt, and [bottom row] Gina Marie Mcclean, George Dennis Smith Jr., and David James Studer. MCDC booking photos

Officers arrested seven people; all but one were lodged at the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC):

Rick Koch, 66 years old – Was criminally cited, but not arrested, and was not booked into the MCDC due to a medical condition. He faces a new charge of Frequenting a Place a Controlled Substance is Used.
Lorie Jean Turner, 57 years old – Booked on Possession of a Controlled Substance, Frequenting a Place a Controlled Substance is Used, and Warrants. Placed on a $25,000 “County Hold” and transferred to Clackamas County Jail.
Wade M. Paxton, 48 years old – Booked on Frequenting a Place a Controlled Substance is Used. Release Date: February 18; Release Reason, “Released on Own Recognizance”.
Carleen Maria Hunt, 42 years old – Booked on Frequenting a Place a Controlled Substance is Used. Release Date: February 18; Release Reason, “Released on Own Recognizance”.
Gina Marie Mcclean, 58 years old – Booked on Frequenting a Place a Controlled Substance is Used, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Heroin). Release Date: February 19; Release Reason, “Court Release on Recognizance”.
George Dennis Smith Jr., years old – Booked on PC Frequenting a Place a Controlled Substance is Used. Release Date: February 18; Release Reason, “Released on Own Recognizance”.
David James Studer – 38 years old – Booked on Fugitive Warrant without bail; Felony Computer Crime, and Possession of Heroin; he’s still being held at MCDC.

“This is a great example of members of the community providing information about a suspected drug house, and our East Neighborhood Response Team and Street Crimes Unit taking action,” remarked Frome.

“We are grateful to the investigators and the members from our Tactical Operations Division who assisted in the safe execution of the warrant,” Frome added.

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