Douglas Wayne Chandler faces 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse
Attorney General John Kroger today announced the indictment of a Nehalem man on child pornography charges.
Douglas Wayne Chandler (DOB: 3/8/74) was arraigned on Friday, July 29 in Tillamook County Circuit Court on five counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and five counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree. A grand jury indicted him the day before.
Chandler was taken into custody and bail was set at $100,000. If he posts bail, Chandler is prohibited from having any contact with children, including his own, and he may not possess a computer. The next appearance in this case is scheduled for August 8 at 1:45 p.m.
Special Agents from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Oregon Department of Justice, with assistance from the Oregon State Police and Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office, served a search warrant at Chandler’s residence on July 20.
“Putting child pornographers behind bars is one of my highest priorities,” said Attorney General Kroger. “I want to thank the Oregon State Police and the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office for their excellent work.”
A criminal indictment is merely an allegation. Every criminal defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Rachel Bridges is prosecuting the case for the Oregon Department of Justice.
Attorney General Kroger’s top legislative priority in 2011 was to fix Oregon’s child pornography law, which was weakened earlier this year by a pair of court rulings.
Senate Bill 803, which clarified that intentionally viewing child pornography is a crime, was overwhelmingly approved by the Legislature.
The public is strongly encouraged to report information involving on-line sexual exploitation of children to their local law enforcement agency or to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
The Oregon Department of Justice ICAC unit investigates and prosecutes predators who use the internet to target and sexually exploit children. The unit works with district attorneys, law enforcement agencies and regional task forces that investigate online predators. ICAC is the only program in Oregon that is equipped with the necessary resources to catch sex predators throughout the state.
From 2005 and 2009, 138 internet predators were convicted as a result of ICAC’s work.
Attorney General John Kroger leads the Oregon Department of Justice. The Department’s mission is to fight crime and fraud, protect the environment, improve child welfare, promote a positive business climate, and defend the rights of all Oregonians.
Contact:
Kate Medema, (503) 569-3027, kate.e.medema@doj.state.or.us