Two-house bust in Montavilla nets guns and dope

You’ll be amazed when you see the arsenal of weapons and drugs seized during a raid mounted by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office …

Other than the broken windows – presumably, from tear gas being shot inside during the raid – this Montavilla neighborhood house on E. Burnside Street looks like an ordinary family residence.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Driving by the two houses, there would be no reason to take notice of them. These plain houses face each other across East Burnside Street, at SE 83^rd Avenue, in the Montavilla neighborhood.

It wasn’t the houses themselves that interested law enforcement – it was the residents.

The house across the street also looks “normal” except for the broken front and upstairs windows …

… and numerous other broken windows on the side of the structure.

Members of the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit (SIU) suspected that these rental houses – owned by the proprietor of a nearby auto repair shop, public records show – were gang hangouts.

“The SIU has been involved in a continuing investigation into a white supremacist gang, drug dealing and firearms trafficking,” said MCSO Public Information Officer Lt. Steve Alexander.

Although it remains unknown how the SIU developed its information in this case in outer East Portland, undercover investigators typically obtain information about gang operations by questioning arrested drug or gun dealers, informants, and through their own surveillance.

A squadron of law enforcement officers from four agencies prepare for the pre-dawn warrant service.

By 4:30 a.m. on May 23, their investigation had proceeded to the point where a judge issued search warrants for two residences, located at 8233 and 8234 E. Burnside Street, Alexander said.

Members of the SIU suited-up to execute the search warrants, but because they suspected there was a stash of guns in one of the houses, they recruited help, including members of:

Portland Police Bureau Street Crimes unit,
Portland Police Bureau’s Special Emergency Reaction Team,
Washington County TNT, and,
MCSO’s Warrant Strike Team.

Seven adults and three juveniles were likely surprised when the assemblage of law enforcement officers encouraged them to come out – and allow them to enter and search the premises.

Handguns, machine guns and shotguns are found during the raid. MCSO photos

Ecstasy and processed marijuana, other drugs, and handguns, are seized at a large-scale marijuana grow during the warrant service. MCSO photos

Apparently, the search warrants had merit. The searches of both residences resulted in the seizure of:

Nine handguns,
Two rifles,
$1,500 cash,
Methamphetamine,
Cocaine,
Ecstasy and,
75 marijuana plants.

“One of the adults was interviewed and released at the scene,” Alexander said.

Eventually three men were taken to the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) and were booked into jail about 9:30 a.m. “Three juveniles and were placed in protective custody with DHS,” stated Alexander.

Both 23-year-old Ryan James Darby and 25-year-old Dustin Blue Silva are under arrest on Parole Violation charges. MCDC booking photos

23-year-old Ryan James Darby was arrested for Parole Violation, but was released from custody on May 27 for “Time Served on a Sentence”.

25-year-old Dustin Blue Silva was also arrested on a Parole Violation charge, but remains in custody at Multnomah County Inverness Jail.

Booked on a variety of charges is 47-year-old Shanan Lee Queen. MCDC booking photos

47-year-old Shanan Lee Queen was booked on a variety of charges, including Manufacture of Marijuana, Possession of Methamphetamine, Delivery for Consideration of Methamphetamine, and eleven counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Queen remains in custody in lieu of $105,000 combined bail, in the Multnomah County Inverness Jail

“Since Operation White Christmas began last December,” Alexander related, “the SIU has added six federal cases, four state cases, seized four firearms, $4,000 cash, and five ounces of meth, in addition to recovering stolen DMV identifications and a vehicle. The investigation continues to develop.”

Comments are closed.