The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 36-year-old transient from the Sisters area in connection with multiple stolen vehicle investigations spanning December 2025 through February 2026. The cases involved heavy equipment and other vehicles taken from locations throughout Sisters, Redmond, and Bend.
Deputies first encountered the male suspect on December 9, 2025, when he was arrested in Redmond after operating a stolen construction loader taken from a nearby job site. Following that incident, law enforcement agencies in the region began investigating additional thefts with similar methods and patterns.
On February 17, 2026, deputies located an abandoned and heavily damaged Sisters School District Suburban on Buckhorn Road. Evidence recovered from the vehicle, along with onboard video footage, identified the suspect as the individual responsible for the unlawful entry into the school district’s transportation building and theft of the vehicle.
On February 23, 2026, the Sheriff’s Office responded to a stolen City of Sisters F450 crane truck. Deputies coordinated with partner agencies and located the vehicle on a forest road northwest of Sisters. The suspect was contacted and taken into custody without incident. During the investigation, deputies also recovered a stolen utility trailer associated with the case.
Throughout the interviews, the suspect admitted to involvement in multiple vehicle thefts, including prior incidents under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office, the Bend Police Department, and the Black Butte Police Department.
He was arrested and jailed at the Deschutes County Adult Jail on numerous charges, including:
- Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle
- Burglary in the Second Degree
- Theft in the First Degree
- Criminal Mischief
- Criminal Trespass
- Driving While Suspended
The suspect also faces a parole violation detainer related to previous convictions. These cases remain under investigation, and additional charges from partner agencies may follow.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office thanks the Sisters School District, City of Sisters Public Works, Black Butte Police Department, and the Bend Police Department for their continued partnership throughout these investigations.
