Local News

A man was arrested by Grants Pass Police for trespassing and drug charges after he refused to leave Rogue Cleaners and Laundromat Wednesday.

The suspect, Jonathan Beasley, had been asked to leave the 228 SE K Street business twice, but he refused. He was described as wearing a green sweatshirt, dark beanie, blue mask, and a black messenger bag.

The manager told dispatch around 8:23 a.m. that Beasley had been on the premises for about 40 minutes, and that he had attempted to urinate on the side of the building. It didn't appear that Beasley was under the influence.

The manager requested Beasley be trespassed, and said he was sitting down inside the business. Officers arrived and contacted him, taking him into custody for Second Degree Trespass.

A consent search was conducted, and officers located a small baggy inside his bag that field tested positive for cocaine. Also identified was a glass smoking device that tested positive for methamphetamine.

Beasley was transported to the Adult Jail Facility where he was lodged for Possession of Cocaine, Meth Possession, and his trespass charge. He was later released around 5:37 p.m. due to a lack of jail resources.

 

Grants Pass Police conducted a traffic stop Wednesday morning, resulting in the arrest of the driver.

Officers pulled over a Toyota Camry driven by Jason Alberoni at the corner of W Harbeck Road and Williams Highway at 8:05 a.m. Upon contact with him, officers learned he was driving while suspended.

Alberoni's parole officer was contacted, and a detainer was requested. Officers then took Alberoni into custody. He was transported to and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for the Parole Violation detainer.

 

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit detectives arrested a Prospect man Wednesday morning on five charges of child sex crimes. The suspect, Mickey Lee Ryan Jr., 35, of Prospect, is charged with first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sodomy, and two counts of first-degree sexual abuse. He was lodged in the Jackson County Jail. JCSO detectives arrested Ryan without incident just before 10 AM on Wednesday, April 15, at a trailer park in the 400 block of Mill Creek Drive in Prospect. Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare caseworkers from Jackson and Josephine counties assisted. This case is open and ongoing. There is no further information for release at this time.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners are scheduled to meet in both Open and Executive Session Thursday.

The agenda for the 10 a.m. meeting in the BCC Conference Room begins with an open session. The board will consider the dismissal or discipline of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against both the Information Technology and Emergency Management Director, and the Airports Manager.

An Executive Session will follow, covering the same topics, followed by a continuation of the previous Open Session. Thursday's meeting will be live streamed at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream.

 

Oregon State Police lodged a woman on an out-of-county hold warrant following a traffic stop Tuesday.

Troopers stopped a white Honda Accord for a violation. The driver, Ciarra Austin-Withey, 27, of Grants Pass, was found to be wanted on an active misdemeanor warrant out of Douglas County for Driving While Suspended.

She was taken into custody and lodged in the Josephine County Jail. Her vehicle was released to a family member. Jail records show she was later released after posting bail.

 

Officers with the Grants Pass Police Department arrested a man by request from his parole officer.

The suspect, Ian Hogue, was located at the corner of NE 7th Street and NE A Street heading towards Resting Site 7. He was wearing all black with a black bag, and he proceeded to duck into a tent.

Hogue's parole officer had requested a detainer on him, and, after reviewing security footage of the site, officers were able to detain him. He was subsequently transported and lodged in jail for his Parole Violation detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police lodged a man for stealing alcohol from a Pinnacle 365 late Tuesday night.

A call to dispatch around 11:56 p.m. reported the suspect had stolen $10 worth of Fireball from the 836 NE A Street location. The incident occurred two minutes prior to the call, but the suspect had left the scene prior to the arrival of law enforcement.

Officers learned the suspect was wearing a red rain jacket, black jeans, tan boots, and had scruff on his face. He also left his ID card at the scene, and had reportedly walked toward the high school.

Law enforcement soon located and contacted the suspect, Kyle Waycott, at the Astro Gas station, 324 NE E Street. Officers confirmed his identity, and he admitted to both stealing the alcohol, and leaving behind his identification.

Waycott was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility for Third Degree Theft. Jail logs show he was released this morning at 11:08 since no charges were filed by the District Attorney.

 

Rogue Credit Union announced strong financial results for the first quarter of 2026.

Total assets grew at an annualized rate of 8.08% with $4.29 billion in assets. The credit union experienced a return on assets of 1.09%, and continues to grow its membership base, now serving more than 242,000 members throughout Oregon, Idaho and California.

Rogue's equity position remains strong. The credit union closed the quarter with a 10.28% net worth ratio, and received recognition for its workplace culture in early 2026. Oregon Business named Rogue Credit Union one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon, ranking it thirteenth in the Large Business category.

Rogue’s commitment to the community remained a focus during the first quarter, with the credit union presenting the Pear Blossom Festival and supporting the Southern Oregon Polar Plunge.

 

The Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) Team, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Medford, Oregon State Police, Grants Pass Police, Jackson County Sheriff's Office, and the California Highway Patrol concluded a drug investigation April 10th. The six-week investigation in Oregon and California resulted in the execution of three residential search warrants in Wolf Creek, and one in Corning California. RADE and the DEA identified a drug trafficking organization operating out of Wolf Creek was being supplied with methamphetamine from Corning. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop April 8th on Marshall Clifford De La Garza, 39. He was found to be transporting around 90 pounds of meth to Josephine County. The three residential search warrants executed in Wolf Creek led to the seizure of multiple firearms and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Police arrested Johnny Dean Davis Jr., 43, Daniel Cody Green, 44, and Stephen Ray Higgins, 56.