2-25-2010 Oregon:A man found dead after a police standoff in Sandy was a convicted sex offender who visited Philomath High School under a fake name in December — and who was wanted by Lebanon police for allegedly committing recent sex crimes.
Steven Routley, 35, apparently shot himself Wednesday afternoon at a residence in Sandy where he’d reportedly been staying.
Police were seeking Routley on charges of second-degree sexual abuse, third-degree sexual abuse, being a felon in possession of a firearm, using a child in a sexual display and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The charges stemmed from contact with high school students in the past two weeks.
According to Sandy Police Department spokesman Lewis Sytsma, at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, members of the Portland Police Bureau and the U.S. Marshals Service attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Routley near the 37900 block of Highway 26 in Sandy.
Sandy police were called to assist after Routley ran into a nearby house. Authorities believed Routley was armed, and they knew he had an extensive criminal history, so the Clackamas County Interagency SWAT team was called in. For several hours, the SWAT team tried to make contact with Routley but was unsuccessful. The team also fired tear gas into the house.
At about 3:35 p.m, the SWAT team entered the room where they thought they would find Routley — and found his body.
“We believe (death) was from a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Sytsma said.
No one else was believed to have been in the residence at the time. Routley reportedly had been working at the residence.
Neighboring businesses and residences were evacuated during the standoff. Highway 26 was closed in both directions in the area around the house.
Lebanon detectives went to Sandy on Wednesday afternoon to assist with the investigation.
In December, Routley used a fake name to sign in as a guest at Philomath High School, and he visited an art class. While he was there, he was overheard offering to give students private lessons. School officials said he never was left alone with any students.
On Jan. 14, a man called the Benton County Sheriff’s Office to report that Routley had tried to invite his daughter to be his “friend” on Facebook, the online social networking site.
Routley had served a 15-year prison term in Michigan for two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13. He was released from prison in May 2009 and was no longer under corrections or parole supervision.
In response to Routley’s visit in December, Philomath School District officials changed the check-in procedure for visitors and had been examining whether criminal charges against Routley could be pursued.
When contacted by phone last month, Routley told a Gazette-Times reporter that he “didn’t recall” signing into Philomath High School with a fake name. He declined to comment further, saying “I’m sure whatever I say, you’ll manipulate it by the time it hits the paper.”
Routley updated his sex offender registration with a southeast Portland address in mid-January, according to Oregon State Police.
Lebanon Det. Sgt. Kevin Martinez told the Lebanon Express that Routley also is a subject of interest in investigations in Michigan and the Portland area. ..Source.. by Rachel Beck, Gazette-Times
Standoff for sex offender ends in his death
SANDY, Ore. – A wanted sex offender ran from police Wednesday prompting a response from SWAT and a traffic tie-up for hours on Highway 26. A law enforcement source said they found the man dead in a home but said officers fired no shots. They said 35-year-old Steven Routley died from a self-inflicted wound.
This area is 11 miles southeast of Gresham on Highway 26.
Just before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday residents reported hearing several loud booms. Law enforcement told us that those were smoke grenades thrown into the home in an attempt to smoke out their suspect.
Agents entered the home around 2:40 p.m. Around 3:30 p.m. the scene was being cleared.
Behind the scenes
Routley was a registered sex offender facing new charges out of Lebanon, Ore., Sergeant Kevin Martinez with Oregon's Lebanon Police Department confirmed.
On Jan. 28 of this year, KATU reported on Routley's alleged attempt to get into a Philomath, Ore., high school using a fake name. Philomath Police Chief Ken Elwer said an officer talked to Routley. However, even though Routley is a convicted sex offender, he is not on supervision and thus Elwer said that him being at the school did not violate any laws.
A law enforcement source said Routley was holed up in his stepmother's home.
Police said they believed Routley was armed with a 9 mm handgun.
At the scene
Witnesses at the scene said they counted as many as 17 law enforcement vehicles Wednesday afternoon.
Traffic in and out of town on Highway 26 was closed in both directions until around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Traffic also was shut down between University Avenue, at mile post 23.65, and Southeast Bluff Road, at mile post 23.87. Those in town could detour around the scene.
The Oregon Department of Transportation had established a marked detour for passenger vehicles. The detour followed Bluff Road to Meeker Street back to Highway 26 in both directions. Trucks were being turned back. Motorists experienced "long delays."
Near the site of the law-enforcement convergence, a woman at the Les Schwab tire store at 37895 Highway 26 said those inside the store were "trapped" until officers leave. They were cautiously "hiding behind tires," she said.
Routley's history
Sergeant Kevin Martinez with Oregon's Lebanon Police Department said the new charges against Routley out of Lebanon were reported to police on Feb. 22 and involved a 16 year old. He said the charges stem from acts within the past two weeks.
Lebanon police had charged Routley with the following: using a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct (used a visual recording device to record the victim in sexually explicit poses); sex abuse 2; sex abuse 3; contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor; and two charges of being a felon in possession of a weapon.
In 1995, Routley was sentenced to up to 15 years for second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13. He served his prison time in Michigan and was released in 2009. ..Source.. by Jennifer Meacham and KATU News
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