N.Y. fugitive arrested at Wheeler County ranch

Oregon State Police and Wheeler County sheriff’s deputies arrested a wanted fugitive Sunday morning with warrants out of New York State and three Oregon counties after learning he was staying at a ranch along the John Day River south of Fossil in Central Oregon.

According to Senior Trooper Scott Vaughn, OSP was contacted by a detective from Cortland County Sheriff’s Department in New York advising a wanted fugitive with warrants out of New York State for Burglary and grand larceny was staying at a ranch near Twickenham in Wheeler County.

Working with the Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office, OSP confirmed the fugitive, Harley Michael Smith, 28, was at that location. In addition to being wanted as a fugitive from justice, Smith was also wanted on misdemeanor warrants out of three Oregon counties.

On Sunday at around 10:30 a.m., an OSP trooper and Wheeler County deputy went to the ranch and took Smith into custody without incident.

Smith was taken to the Deschutes County Jail in Bend, where he was lodged on the following charges:

* Fugitive From justice (Cortland County, New York warrants for burglary and grand larceny)
* Larceny / theft (Deschutes County)
* Failure to appear – DUII (Washington County)
* Driving with a suspended license (Multnomah County)