Police: Registered sex offender arrested, found with missing teen
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PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — Police say an out-of-compliance sex offender was arrested after being found with a missing teen in southeast Portland on Thursday.
Just after 11:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked in the 14600 block of Southeast Harrison Street. Officers saw a man and a juvenile, later identified as a missing 17-year-old boy, unconscious inside, along with what appeared to be drug paraphernalia. An officer recognized the man as Jeremy M. Fanning, 34, who police said is a registered sex offender.
Officers made numerous attempts to wake the two over about 10 minutes. Police said an officer then breached the driver’s side window, which caused Fanning and the teen to wake up. According to police, Fanning was hostile and turned the car on, put it in gear, and tried to drive away. He was unable to move because patrol vehicles had pinned the car in place.
Police said officers tried to convince the teen to get out but Fanning appeared to be coaching him to refuse the officers’ request. Officers used a note on the window where only the teen could see it, saying that they were concerned for his safety with Fanning, according to police. The teen then got out of the car and moved to a safe location.
Fanning continued to refuse to come out and armed himself with a hatchet, according to police. After multiple verbal warnings that force would be used against him if he did not come out, police said officers deployed pepper spray into the car. Fanning then dropped the hatchet and got out of the vehicle.
Fanning was taken into custody and treated by paramedics at the scene. He was later booked into the Multnomah County Jail on charges of failure to register as a sex offender, attempt to elude by vehicle, reckless driving, endangering the welfare of a minor, and interfering with a peace officer.
Police said the 17-year-old boy was medically evaluated, then taken to a shelter for runaway youth.
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