Greetings and welcome to the latest edition of the Washington County DA’s Office newsletter!

I hope that you all had a relaxing summer and are enjoying the first taste of fall weather. As always, we have been quite busy here in the DA’s Office pursuing our mission of seeking justice and protecting our community.

In this newsletter, you can read about several significant case results including a child predator sting, a murder prosecution, and a significant child sexual assault case. In these and many other cases, we obtained lengthy prison sentences for dangerous and violent criminals.

You can read about our continued effort to combat retail theft, which threatens the safety and security of local businesses, employees, and customers. I am proud to share that we were awarded a $1.5 million grant from the State of Oregon to assist in this area and are working to put that grant funding to use in our community. I would like to extend a big “thank you” to our Washington County legislative delegation who helped make this grant possible!

We are excited about the important changes to Oregon’s drug laws. As has been widely reported in the media, the possession and use of dangerous street drugs such as fentanyl, meth, and heroin became a crime once again on September 1^st. Our priority in Washington County is to use the criminal justice system to ensure that those who are struggling with addiction are required to engage in meaningful drug treatment.

Finally, we continue to prioritize community engagement and outreach. You can read about our efforts with the Building Bridges of Understanding initiative and our continued support of the Family Justice Center of Washington County.

I wish you and your family a safe and enjoyable fall!

Brandon Perkins Convicted in Child Predator Sting Case

HILLSBORO, Ore- On August 22, 2024, Brandon D Perkins, age 41, pleaded guilty to online sexual corruption of a child in the first degree and luring a minor. Judge Erik Buchér then sentenced the defendant to three years in prison. Deputy District Attorney Bryce Bissinger prosecuted this case.

On October 17, 2019, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover child predator sting operation. Deputies posed as 15-year-olds and used various social media platforms to connect with potential predators. 

The defendant, 38 years old at the time, initiated contact with one of the deputies. The defendant said he wanted to spend time with the child and suggested they smoke marijuana together. When the deputy told Mr. Perkins she was 15, he asked who was home with her and told the deputy he wanted to spend time with her alone. He said he would bring condoms to the meeting and made sexually explicit comments regarding the acts he wanted to perform on the minor. 

The defendant arrived at the agreed-upon location and was immediately arrested. Deputies found he had two cell phones, a box of condoms, and $3,000 in cash in his possession. 

This case was indicted in 2019. It suffered from delays caused by COVID and the defendant’s multiple failures to appear in court.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to acknowledge the work of the Washington County Sheriff's Office on this case. 



In addition to his prison sentence, the defendant will also serve three years of post-prison supervision and must register as a sex offender. 

Salvador Antonio Martinez-Romero Convicted of Murder in Deadly Stabbing Spree

HILLSBORO, Ore- On August 7, 2024, Salvador Antonio Martinez-Romero pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree, three counts of attempted murder in the first degree, and four counts of robbery in the first degree. On August 13, 2024, Judge Brandon Thompson sentenced the defendant to life in prison with a minimum of 30 years served before parole eligibility on the murder conviction and nine years in prison on the remaining convictions.

These sentences will be served consecutively. Senior Deputy District Attorneys John Gerhard and Allison Brown prosecuted this case.

On December 18, 2019, the defendant was under the influence of methamphetamine when he entered a grocery store in the Murrayhill area of Beaverton, Oregon, and purchased a large chef’s knife. He then walked into a bank located in the same shopping center, pulled out the knife, and demanded tellers give him cash. 

The murder victim in this case, Janet Risch, was inside the bank to withdraw cash as Christmas gifts for her grandchildren when the defendant arrived. When the defendant did not receive money fast enough, he grabbed the murder victim’s adult daughter, Deb Thompson, from behind and slit her throat with his knife. After tellers handed him the cash, the defendant stabbed Ms. Risch in her in the back, causing fatal wounds. The murder victim’s adult daughter and the bank tellers tried to render aid. While unable to save her mother’s life, the murder victim’s daughter survived her wounds but was left permanently injured. 

The defendant then fled the bank and confronted the third victim as he was leaving an area gym. He demanded the victim’s car, but he resisted. The defendant then stabbed this man in the chest which caused serious injuries. He fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. 

The defendant then drove to a residential area in Tigard, Oregon. He damaged the vehicle he had stolen and abandoned it. He saw the fourth victim approaching in her vehicle and flagged her down. When she stopped her car, the defendant stabbed her in the leg and torso, pulled her from the vehicle, and stole her car. Police caught up to the defendant, saw him ditch the second stolen vehicle, and saw him flee on foot. He was located near a high school campus and taken into custody. Officers found large amounts of cash stuffed down his pants and hidden under a nearby pile of leaves. 



The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to send our condolences to Ms. Risch’s family and to thank all of the involved victims for their strength throughout this process. This office also acknowledges the work of the Beaverton Police Department, the Tigard Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and all first responders who assisted on this case. 

Wilfredo Aguilar-Pineda Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison

HILLSBORO, Ore- On June 28, 2024, a Washington County jury found Wilfredo Aguilar-Pineda, age 33, guilty of two counts of Rape in the First Degree (Jessica’s Law), Sodomy in the First Degree (Jessica’s Law), two counts of Rape in the Second Degree, two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and two counts of Luring a Minor. On July 8, 2024, Judge Erik Buchér sentenced the defendant to 50 years in prison. Senior Deputy District Attorney Andy Pulver prosecuted this case.

The defendant began sexually abusing the victim in this case when she was a young child. The abuse continued over a period of several years and took place in several different jurisdictions. In 2022, occupants of the victim’s residence walked in on the defendant and victim under a set of blankets in bed. The victim disclosed the abuse to a family member later that evening. A mandatory reporter learned of the disclosure and alerted the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). Hillsboro police launched an investigation. The victim met with medical experts at CARES Northwest where she provided a detailed description of the abuse she suffered at the hands of the defendant. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to acknowledge the bravery of the victim in reporting this abuse. This office also thanks ODHS, the Hillsboro Police Department, and CARES Northwest for their work on this case.



Mr. Aguilar-Pineda will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.

District Attorney's Office Awarded More than $1.5 million to Address Retail Theft

District Attorney Kevin Barton recently spoke with The Oregonian about a $1.5 million grant we secured to help address retail theft across the county. This marks the largest such great in Oregon and exceeds the second-largest grant by more than $800,000.

Click here to read the article.

Registration Now Open for Run for Hope

Registration for Run for Hope 2024 is open! Join us for a run, walk, roll, or stroll on October 13 in celebration of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Click here for more information and to register!

District Attorney Kevin Barton Speaks with Fox 12 Oregon About New Drug Deflection Plan

Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton spoke with Fox 12 to discuss how we plan to handle the re-criminalization of drugs after the passage of House Bill 4002. He stressed the importance of holding people accountable for their actions while also ensuring they receive the treatment they need.

Click here to watch the story.

DA's Office Hosts Retail Theft Symposium

District Attorney Kevin Barton joined other prosecutors from our office to host the first annual Retail Theft Symposium. Held at the Columbia Sportswear Company campus, the DA's office brought together law enforcement and loss prevention officers from area retailers large and small. We discussed best practices for loss prevention teams, the importance of reporting these crimes to law enforcement, and what to expect when testifying in court.

We are dedicated to protecting area businesses from theft and welcome this opportunity to connect with business owners.

We also distributed shoplifting warning signs. Click here to learn more about this program and to request a sign free of charge.

District Attorney Kevin Barton Meets With Tenants From Streets of Tanasbourne

SHOPLIFTERS WILL BE PROSECUTED.

That was our message to business owners and tenants from The Streets of Tanasbourne in Hillsboro. District Attorney Kevin Barton joined attorneys from our office to meet with shop owners to discuss their concerns about theft and shoplifting.

We stressed the importance of reporting these incidents to police so they can be properly investigated and prosecuted. We also distributed our shoplifting warning signs to be posted around the facility.

DA's Office Joins Building Bridges Summer Potluck

District Attorney Kevin Barton is a founding member of Building Bridges of Understanding in Our Communities. This coalition of law enforcement and community groups hosts a yearly summit to forge new relationships and strengthen existing ones.

DA Barton recently attended the Building Bridges summer potluck hosted by the Afghan Support Network. We came together to share a meal and finalize our plans for our summit which takes place on October 30th, 2024.

Click here to learn more about Building Bridges and to register for our summit!

District Attorney Kevin Barton Joins Lawmakers to Honor the Family Justice Center of Washington County

District Attorney Kevin Barton recently joined a town hall meeting hosted by Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Andrea Salinas. The lawmakers honored the work of the Family Justice Center of Washington County (FJC) for which DA Barton serves as a board member.

To learn more about the FJC and the services they offer to victims of domestic violence, visit their website.

District Attorney Kevin Barton Speaks at 49th Annual Northwest Institute of Addictions Studies Conference

District Attorney Kevin Barton recently served as the plenary speaker for the 49th Annual Northwest Institute of Addictions Studies Conference.

DA Barton spoke about our approach to behavioral health and addiction issues. He stressed the important work of our specialty courts which hold offenders accountable for their actions while connecting them with the treatment they need.

To learn more about these efforts, visit our website.

DA's Office Hosts Booth at Washington County Fair

We'd like to thank everyone who stopped by our booth at the Washington County Fair! We enjoyed interacting with community members and answering questions about our work to promote public safety in Washington County.

We can't wait for next year!