Bend businessman charged with animal sex abuse

The executive director of a Central Oregon health care provider association has been arrested on charges out of McMinnville that include sexual assault of an animal, authorities said Friday.

John William Ryan, 47, of Bend was arrested in Bend on Monday on charges that also include first-degree sex abuse and sodomy and two counts of solicitation to commit a crime.

“These charges are unusual,” McMinnville police Capt. Dennis Marks told NewsChannel 21 on Friday.

Officials with the Central Oregon Independent Practice Association said Friday he is currently on paid administrative leave.

The interim president released a statement today saying they are “aware of the charges.” It goes on to say that the charges are “personal in nature and are completely unrelated to Mr. Ryan’s role at COIPA,” an organization of physiciations and health care providers.

McMinnville police said they located Ryan after an Internet investigation of explicit content involving children.

“We were reviewing that, and we came across Casie Nelson and John Ryan’s shared information that they had done a couple things that they shouldn’t have,” Marks said.

McMinnville police worked with Bend counterparts to make the arrest. They also arrested co-defendant Cassie Nelson, 29, of McMinnville.

“They both were involved with the same criminal episode,” Marks said, declining to confirm or deny reports that the charges involve abuse of a dog.

Nelson also is charged with multiple crimes, including sexual assault of an animal. Both are being held in the Yamhill County Jail.

Ryan is being held on $517,500 bail. Police said they were still investigating, so they could not tell us much more.

Here’s the full text of the statement issued Friday by Dr. Stephen Mann, who is serving as interim executive director of COIPA:

The Central Oregon Independent Practice Association is aware of the charges brought against Mr. Ryan, and we are cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation. Because it is an ongoing investigation we are unable to comment further on the situation at this time.

In the meantime, what we can tell you is that Mr. Ryan was placed on immediate administrative leave following his arrest on Monday, February 23rd. These charges are personal in nature and are completely unrelated to Mr. Ryan’s role at COIPA.

Dr. Stephen Mann, who has served as President of the COIPA Board of Directors for the past five years, has assumed the role of Interim Executive Director. Former COIPA Board Vice President Dr. Sid Henderson has been appointed to the role of Interim Board President.

The COIPA Board of Directors will continue to provide strategic leadership and direction for the organization, as it has always done. COIPA’s leadership is structured with an executive director reporting directly to the Board of Directors, allowing the organization’s business practices and operations for our members to be uninterrupted.

As it has done since 1992, COIPA will continue to work to represent the best interests of our organization’s 650 physicians and practitioners in Central Oregon, Eastern Oregon and the Columbia Gorge.

We are confident that our members will experience no disruption in service, our partners and colleagues at the local, regional, and state levels will continue to benefit from COIPA’s expertise, and the general public will benefit from knowing that COIPA continues to work to improve the quality of health care in the region.