Volume 17 | December 2025 | | |
Greetings and welcome to another edition of the Washington County DA’s Office newsletter.
We are very pleased that Washington County voters passed the public safety levy in November by a healthy margin. This levy will ensure that all aspects of our public safety system—sheriff, DA, probation & parole, and juvenile—are well-funded and resourced. Thank you for your support and confidence!
In this newsletter, you can read about the important work we have been doing. We recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of our Adult Recovery Court, which has transformed and saved hundreds of lives over the years. Additionally, several of our cases were profiled on local and national news shows, including a recent episode of 48 Hours!
We have multiple high-profile convictions to share, for crimes such as child sex abuse and murder. And on a positive note, we celebrated DV Awareness Month with the annual “Run for Hope” sponsored by the Family Justice Center of Washington County.
I hope you and your families have a safe and enjoyable holiday season!
| | -District Attorney Kevin Barton | | Washington County Voters Approve Public Safety Levy | | |
The following is a joint statement of appreciation to Washington County voters from District Attorney Kevin Barton and Sheriff Caprice Massey of the Washington County Sheriff's Office:
After votes were tallied on November 4, 2025, it was evident that voters in Washington County supported funding the Public Safety Levy. Confirmation of the vote will take place on December 1, 2025, and is a testament to the long-standing community support.
Thank you to the voters of Washington County for passing Measure 34-346 and supporting a comprehensive public safety system. For 25 years, the Public Safety Levy has effectively endorsed a wide range of services to keep the Washington County community safe. Thanks to your ongoing support, we will have the necessary resources for a countywide law enforcement response, proper jail staffing, timely prosecution, effective parole and probation supervision, vital assistance for victims, juvenile justice services, and continued funding for our Mental Health Response Team. It is an honor to serve this community, and we appreciate your continued support.
Sheriff Massey provided the following statement of appreciation. “I want to express my sincerest gratitude to the residents of Washington County for your trust and support. In approving the Public Safety Levy, especially during this season of economic uncertainty, you have sent a powerful message: that public safety matters, and that you value the service of our deputies and professional staff who serve Washington County every day. Your support will help ensure Washington County remains a safe place to live, work, raise families, and thrive. On behalf of the entire Sheriff's Office, thank you for standing with us and for one another.”
District Attorney Kevin Barton said, “We are so grateful that Washington County voters voiced their strong support for our public safety system by passing the public safety levy. These results send a clear message that our community supports public safety, even during these difficult economic times. We are committed to ensuring that we keep Washington County a safe place to live, work, and raise a family.”
| | DA's Office Honors 20th Anniversary of Adult Recovery Court | | |
261 graduations. 494 Years in prison time avoided. $15,570,000 in Oregon taxpayer dollars saved.
Those are just a few of the statistics that demonstrate the success of the Adult Recovery Court (ARC) since its launch in 2005. We recently joined with the Washington County Circuit Court to honor the 20th anniversary of ARC.
Please join us in celebrating the success of this program and the profound impact it has had on our community.
Watch the video above to learn more!
| | Murder Case Featured on 48 Hours | | |
On January 27, 2023, Steven Milner donned a disguise and entered an Intel parking garage. He then spray-painted security cameras and parked his vehicle next to a car belonging to Kenneth Fandrich. He waited for Mr. Fandrich to return to his car, then killed him.
This murder sparked an intensive investigation and led to a lengthy trial. Senior Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard and Deputy District Attorney Mahalee Streblow prosecuted the defendant and secured his conviction.
This case, and its many twists and turns, was just featured on 48 Hours.
Click here to watch the story.
| | Antonio Arredondo Jr. Guilty in Multiple Sex Abuse Cases, Additional Victims Sought | | |
HILLSBORO, Ore- HILLSBORO, Ore- On November 18, 2025, Antonio Arredondo Jr., age 39, pleaded guilty to seven charges of Rape in the First Degree, Sodomy in the First Degree, and Sex Abuse in the First Degree stemming from cases in both Oregon and Washington. The defendant stipulated to a 40-year prison sentence and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2026. Deputy District Attorney Rayney Meisel prosecuted the Washington County cases before Judge Brandon Thompson.
The defendant has been a registered sex offender since 2009, when he was convicted of molesting a child in Texas. He moved to Oregon shortly after his conviction in Texas, where his predatory behavior continued. By 2022, he had developed a pattern that granted him access to children.
The defendant would meet single mothers with daughters under the age of 10 years old, via an online dating site. Several of these children had some sort of disability. After initiating a relationship with them, he would begin sexually abusing the children. In some cases, he also became increasingly violent, both physically and sexually, towards the mothers. In one case, he repeatedly urged the mother to allow him to adopt her child and to give him power of attorney over the child, suggesting something would happen to the mother, and the child would need to be cared for. When the mother refused, the defendant would become outraged.
In May of 2022, one of the children reported to a school counselor that the defendant sexually abused the child. When the case was presented to a Washington County Grand Jury, the child’s mother disclosed to law enforcement that the defendant had been sexually and physically abusive to her as well.
The Tigard Police Department led the initial investigation. During the investigation, it was learned that another mother had reported abuse of her daughter by the defendant to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. After presenting that second case to a Washington County Grand Jury, it was learned there may be other victims in the area.
On August 17, 2023, in collaboration with agencies across Oregon, investigators issued a media release to alert the public to the defendant’s actions and to seek additional victims. That information prompted victims in Polk County, Oregon, Clark County, Washington, and another victim, who now lives out of state, to contact law enforcement. This victim reported meeting the defendant before he sexually abused them.
After the defendant’s arrest in 2023, a joint effort was undertaken to resolve all of the defendant’s known cases. In late 2024, negotiations fell through. In February of 2025, the defendant was convicted of Sex Abuse in the First Degree in Polk County, Oregon, and began serving a mandatory minimum sentence of 75 months, pursuant to Oregon’s Measure 11 laws. Negotiations were reinitiated, and the defendant accepted the 40-year global offer with Washington County, Multnomah County, and Clark County, Washington.
“This resolution brings an end to this defendant’s predatory behavior and delivers long-overdue accountability,” said DDA Meisel. “Most importantly, it spares the victims the agony of reliving their trauma at trial and provides a measure of closure they have fought so bravely to obtain. Their courage in coming forward has been nothing short of extraordinary.
During the course of the investigation, detectives spoke with multiple women who reported similar behavior by the defendant, some of whom did not want to participate in the prosecution. Investigators fear there could be additional victims. Anyone with information related to the defendant is urged to call their local law enforcement agency.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends all victims for their bravery in reporting the defendant. This office also acknowledges the work of the Tigard Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Portland Police Bureau, the City of Dallas Police, and law enforcement agencies in the State of Washington.
| | Jacob Michael Anderson Guilty in Bias Crime Case | | |
HILLSBORO, Ore- On November 10, 2025, Washington County Circuit Court Judge Brandon Thompson found Jacob Michael Anderson, age 35, guilty of bias crime in the first degree and reckless driving. Judge Thompson then sentenced the defendant to 120 days in the Washington County Jail, suspended his driver’s license for 90 days, placed him on supervised probation for a period of three years, barred him from having any contact with the victim, and ordered him to take anger management classes. Deputy District Attorney BJ Park prosecuted this case.
The victim in this case is an Asian American who lived across the street from the defendant. On May 17, 2024, the victim and defendant both left their homes around the same time to drive to work. As the victim was driving, he saw the defendant tailgating him and driving erratically. This occurred on a residential street with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour. The defendant then passed the victim on the right at a high rate of speed. This maneuver caused damage to the victim’s car as well as a parked vehicle.
Both cars stopped in the middle of the road. The defendant then exited his vehicle, approached the victim in a menacing manner, and called him a racial slur.
Beaverton police responded to the scene. The victim showed them a dash camera video depicting the defendant’s reckless driving, and he was arrested. Investigators learned the defendant had targeted the victim in multiple previous road rage incidents, information that contributed to Judge Thompson’s sentencing decision.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office acknowledges the work of the Beaverton Police Department on this case.
Community members who witness bias crimes should report them to local law enforcement. The Oregon Department of Justice also operates a bias crime hotline. Call 1-844-924-2427 for assistance.
| | Norberto Nestor Muniz Jr. Convicted of Murder for Second Time | | |
HILLSBORO, Ore- On November 6, 2025, a Washington County jury found Norberto Nestor Muniz Jr. guilty of murder and first-degree abuse of a corpse. On November 10, 2025, Judge Andrew Erwin sentenced the defendant to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Senior Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman and Deputy District Attorney Bryce Bissinger prosecuted this case.
The defendant was originally convicted of these crimes in 2022. However, the Oregon Court of Appeals overturned the conviction and ordered a retrial.
On November 17, 2018, Beaverton police were called to a home off of SW Allen Boulevard on a report of a suspicious circumstance. Responding officers searched the house and found the body of Amy Low. Ms. Low's body was badly burned, and she was not positively identified until January of 2019.
Ms. Low lived at the residence with the defendant and another man. Detectives identified the defendant as a suspect in the crime. Investigators secured a search warrant and found several items of interest in the home, including items that contained DNA evidence. They determined Ms. Low was beaten to death and subsequently burned in a backyard burn pile.
The defendant was arrested with the assistance of Portland police on May 8, 2019, and was held until trial. The defendant had recently been released from prison after serving a Measure 11 sentence for first-degree robbery.
This office wishes to acknowledge the work of the Beaverton Police Department, including Detectives Chad Opitz and Maggie Brown. This office also wishes to thank the Oregon State Police Forensic Unit for their crime scene investigation and subsequent testing and the Portland Police Bureau for their assistance in apprehending the defendant.
| Desha Levann Madkins Convicted in Mail Theft Case | |
HILLSBORO, Ore- On November 6, 2025, a Washington County jury found Desha Levann Madkins guilty of eight counts of mail theft or receipt of stolen mail and possession of a burglary tool or theft device. Judge Brandon Thompson sentenced the defendant to 45 months in prison. Deputy District Attorney Trevor Farrell prosecuted this case.
On October 2, 2019, deputies with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on the defendant after he was observed making an illegal turn while driving without his headlights activated. Deputies confirmed the defendant had a warrant for his arrest. Deputies located drugs in his pocket and multiple mail items, along with credit and debit cards and IDs belonging to multiple victims. Deputies also located a lockpick and a pry bar in his backpack. The defendant admitted to stealing mail in order to pay for his drug addiction.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends the work of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on this case.
The defendant will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.
| | Honoring Important Awareness Dates | | District Attorney's Office Participates in Run for Hope in Honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month | | The Washington County District Attorney's Office is a proud supporter of the Run for Hope. Held in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, this family-friendly 5k drew 125 participants and raised $2,500 to support those in need. Watch our video recap of the event below! | | DA's Office Honors Wear Purple Day | | Washington County District Attorney's Office Raises Awareness of Bias Crimes | | |
Deputy District Attorney BJ Park spoke with KOIN 6 regarding a recent bias crime case.
DDA Park described the circumstances of the incident, why our office is committed to protecting victims, and why it is so important to report these types of crimes.
Click below to watch the segment.
| | Family Justice Center Moving to New Location, Expanding Services | | |
This January, the Family Justice Center of Washington County is moving into a new home and embracing a new name: The Family Peace Center of Washington County.
Since 2018, the Family Justice Center has been a place of safety and support for thousands of survivors. Now, we’re becoming the first of its kind in the nation: a trauma-informed center where 20+ partner agencies unite under one roof to provide seamless, survivor-centered care.
District Attorney Kevin Barton and FJC Executive Director Rachel Schutz recently discussed the move in the One Washington County podcast.
Click here to listen!
| | Deputy District Attorney Christina Luedtke Honored with Prosecutorial Award | | |
Congratulations!
Deputy District Attorney Christina Luedtke, Hillsboro Police Officer James Weed, and former Hillsboro Police Detective Michael Piper were recently honored with the Distinguished Service Award by the Oregon Peace Officers Association.
Officer Weed and Detective Piper worked extensively on a complex and challenging labor trafficking case. DDA Luedtke successfully prosecuted the defendant following that lengthy investigation.
We'd like to thank our partners at the Hillsboro Police Department for their commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.
| | Veterans Treatment Court Celebrates Graduation | |
Please join us in congratulating Michael Walton for successfully completing the Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) program!
Established in 2018, the mission of the VTC is to enhance public safety and reduce recidivism by offering eligible justice-involved veterans a sentencing alternative through a supervised treatment program. The goal is to return healthy, law-abiding veterans to the community using best practices and evidence-based approaches.
This specialty court wouldn’t be possible without the support of Washington County, Oregon, the Washington County Sheriff's Office, Washington County Community Corrections, Judge Eric Butterfield, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and the Oregon Defense Attorney Consortium.
Learn more about VTC here.
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