Bend man charged with illegal firearm possession

Oregon State Police arrested a Bend man Friday on several counts of illegal firearm possession.

Alan Aronson. 47, was booked into the Deschutes County Jail Friday afternoon on 11 counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of illegally possessing a gun silencer. His bail totaled over $1 million bail, and he was released Friday evening after posting 10 percent security, a jail officer confirmed.

Five OSP trucks were parked in front of Aronson’s southeast Bend home Friday morning. Troopers searched the home and arrested him a short time later.

“You don’t expect things like this to happen,” neighbor Jim Hertweck said.

Back in 2014, according to court records, Aronson pleaded guilty to two felony theft counts and three counts of failing to register as an outfitter and guide in Wheeler County. He served 30 days in jail.

Aronson was one of 23 people convicted in that sweeping OSP Fish & Wildlife case involving illegal guiding and hunting activities in Central Oregon. Troopers said at the time that Aronson was the primary suspect, accused of conducting illegal guided hunts, mostly for elk and buffalo, on another person’s ranch property without the owner’s consent.

Aronson has faced 95 wildlife violations dating back to 2013, court records show, but was not convicted on all of them, and the following year had his hunting license suspended for life.