C. Oregon car theft ring broken up; 8 arrested

A police chase on Halloween of a stolen car on Highway 26 from the Sisters area to Bend has led to two raids, charges against eight Redmond and Bend residents and the recovery of 10 cars, trucks and a camp trailer stolen from car lots in Central and Western Oregon by a ring that traded or sold them for drugs and money, authorities said late Thursday.

Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies and Oregon State Police troopers were advised on Oct. 31 of a reckless driver heading east toward Deschutes County on Hwy. 20, at the wheel of a black 2012 Cadillac CTS reported stolen out of Woodburn, said sheriff’s Sgt. Deke DeMars.

A Black Butte Ranch police officer and sheriff’s deputy tried to stop the car on Highway 20 west of Sisters that was speeding and being driven recklessly, DeMars said. The pursuit was discontinued for safety reasons, but the car was spotted by several agencies at least three more times between Sisters and Bend and each time eluded officers.

During the pursuit, a sheriff’s deputy made a traffic stop north of Bend of a black Dodge Ram 2500 4×4 pickup that was found to have been stolen out of Salem. DeMars said it was found the two drivers had been traveling together.

Daniel Redding, 25, of Bend, was arrested and later issued a citation in lieu of custody for car theft. Detectives with the sheriff’s office Street Crimes Unit, along with patrol deputies, found two more stolen vehicles at Redding’s home on Alpine Lane in Alfalfa, a red Dodge Ram 3500 4×4 truck stolen in Bend and a black Dodge Challenger stolen in Salem, DeMars said.

Over the past week, DeMars said, Street Crimes Unit detectives investigated several vehicle thefts in Central Oregon and the Willamette Valley. Assisted by Deschutes and Crook County sheriff’s deputies and Redmond police officers recovered 10 cars, pickups and a camp trailer stolen in Bend, Madras, Salem, Woodburn and Cottage Grove, he said.

Detectives also learned evidence of the vehicle thefts were related to an Oct. 25 raid on Indian Place in Redmond, where six people were arrested on drug charges, including Clay Fraser, 41, of Redmond, who was additionally charged with car theft.

The investigation led to another raid on Monday at a property at 1833 Southwest Canal Boulevard in Redmond by members of the Street Crimes Unit, sheriff’s deputies and the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE).

DeMars said detectives found commercial quantities of heroin and methamphetamine, along with scales and evidence of drug sales.

John Kalista, 39, of Redmond, Leza Piper, 43, of Redmond and Kelly Westbrooks, 34, of Redmond were contacted at the home, along with Dwaine Copeland, 54, of Redmond, and Cassandra Tischler, 49, also of Redmond, where they were arrested on a variety of charges. Kalista possessed about $1,000 in forged U.S. currency and brass knuckles, DeMars said.

Kori Knisley, 34, of Bend, was later located and arrested on seven counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, three counts of conspiracy to commit car thefts and aggravated theft. Detectives learned Knisley had stolen several vehicles over the past several weeks.

DeMars said the investigation revealed that Tishler, Copeland, Knisley, Redding and Fraser had targeted vehicles on car lots in various areas. They were being traded or sold for drugs and money. The sergeant said there are no known outstanding stolen vehicles related to the case.

Along with Redding, Piper and Westbrooks were issued citations in lieu of custody.

Copeland and Tischler were arrested last April by Redmond police, charged with felon in possession of a firearm and first-degree theft. Drug agents said the pair had been trafficking in meth throughout the Central Oregon region.