Centennial traffic stop fingers felons – with weapons

Find out why two parolees again face jail time, after this outer East Portland bust sent them back to jail for what they allegedly had in their possession …

After the Portland Police Bureau Gun Violence Reduction Unit spots and stops a suspicious car in the Centennial neighborhood, other officers respond to help.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Alert Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers helped take two convicts, each with a weapon, off the streets – just after midnight on November 21.

In this investigation, officers with the PPB Gun Violence Reduction Unit conducted a traffic stop near the just south of SE Division Street on 157th Avenue, at 12:02 a.m. that Thursday morning, and looked closely at the driver and passenger of the vehicle.

After running their identification, officers found that one of the passengers was wanted for parole violation. “That suspect, identified as 32-year-old Lucas James Hamilton, was arrested,” said PPB Public Information Officer Lt. Tina Jones. “Incidental to his arrest, brass knuckles were located on his person.”

In addition to Parole Violation, 32-year-old Lucas James Hamilton faces a “Possession of Certain Weapons by Felons” charge, MCDC booking photo

Hamilton was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) at 1:34 a.m. that morning on the parole violation warrant. At his arraignment later that day, Hamilton learned he was also charged with “Possession of Certain Weapons by Felons” (defined in ORS 166.240 as a “blackjack, slungshot, sandclub, sandbag, sap glove, metal knuckles”), a Class A Misdemeanor. Bail was set at $2,500.

However, Hamilton’s stat at Inverness Jail was brief; on November 22, he was “Released to Washington County” regarding the Parole Violation charge.

-3 Police tie this Ruger® Mark IV 22/45 Lite Rimfire Pistol to one of the suspects; the brass knuckles were found on the other one, officials say. PPB provided image

And, upon further investigation, a handgun was located in the vehicle, too, Jones said. “The firearm was determined to have been stolen in 2018; the driver, 32 year-old Joshua Dean Lauritsen, was arrested on charges related to the stolen firearm.”

32 year-old Joshua Dean Lauritsen faces Parole Violation and gun charges after allegedly being caught with a stolen pistol. MCDC booking photo

Lauritsen was booked into MCDC at 1:41 a.m., om the morning of his arrest. At his arraignment, in addition to a charge of parole violation, Lauritsen learned he’d face added charges of Felon Possessing a Firearm, Possessing a Loaded Firearm in Public, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. He is being held at Inverness Jail on the parole charge; and the additional weapons charges carry a $8,000 combined bail.

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