Nine face charges in drug raid on NE Bend home

Nine Bend residents face various drug-related charges after a raid Thursday at a northeast Bend home that has been the focus of citizen complaints and drug investigations in recent weeks, police said Friday.

Police and the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team executed the search warrant shortly after 7 a.m. Thursday at 705 Northeast Franklin Avenue in the wake of a recent “problem-oriented policing” project on issues in the area of the Bottle Drop on NE Second Street, Lt. Clint Burleigh said.

The “ongoing project to improve safety for our community” has included several drug investigations by patrol officers and the Intelligence-Led Policing Team, involving three separate suspects, Burleigh said.

Police seized various quantities of methamphetamine in each investigation, and all three of those arrested lived at that address: Eric Lowe, 52, David Spilde, 64, and Stephen Rueckheim, 65, who all were arrested earlier on meth possession charges, Burleigh said.

The ILP Team found several people had been frequenting the home and conducting activities consistent with drug sales, he added.

“Community members have been concerned about this activity this address and have contacted the Bend Police Department with their observations,” Burleigh added in a news release.

Nine people were contacted during the raid, some who did not live there, and a search turned up user quantities of meth and drug paraphernalia throughout the home and in RVs on the property.

Burleigh said police during the raid also found “areas of concern” on the property “regarding items being stored and garbage,” and worked with city Code Enforcement to address “public nuisances” found there. Burleigh said that had to do with items stacked around the yard, including three RVs, tools, bikes and garbage.

Ballin Starr, 57, Rueckheim, Spilde and Kathryn Nelson, 64, were charged with meth possession and frequenting a place where drugs are used, kept or sold. Starr and Rueckheim were taken to the Deschutes County Jail, while Nelson and Spilde were cited to appear in court.

Starr was released from jail on his own recognizance later Thursday, jail officers said. Rueckheim remained jailed late Friday, also charged with DUII and held on $10,000 bail, jail records showed. Susan Miller, 53, was cited on a frequenting charge, while Shawna Roberson, 53, and Dwight Nelson, 53, were cited on meth possession charges, all to appear in circuit court.

Lowe was not present when the raid occurred and police are searching for him, “as we have additional criminal charges regarding evidence found in the RV” where he lives, Burleigh said, including guns he’s not legally allowed to possess. Anyone with information about his whereabouts was asked to call dispatchers at 541-693-6911.

Burleigh called the case “another example of the great partnership and collaboration between” community members, police, other city entities and law enforcement partners.

“The Bend Police Department will continue to be proactive with our relationships to improve the livability for our community of Bend,” Burleigh added.