LAKEPORT– Lakeport”s most wanted sex offender was arrested in Oregon, according to press release provided by Lieutenant Brad Rasmussen of the Lakeport Police Department (LPD).
In 2004 Lakeport Police investigated a sexual assault incident involving a man and two minor female victims. The suspect in the crime was identified as Dustin Graham Powell, 27.
After a complete investigation of the incident, the Lake County District Attorney filed felony sexual assault charges against Powell and an arrest warrant was issued with bail set in the amount of $20,000.
The charges included, one count of violating California Penal Code section 288 (A) defined by Official Legislative Information as, “Any person who willfully and lewdly commits any lewd or lascivious act, including any of the acts constituting other crimes provided for in Part 1, upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child who is under the age of 14 years, with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person or the child, is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for three, six, or eight years.”
Powell was also charged with two counts of violating section 289 (E) defined as, “Any person who commits an act of sexual penetration when the victim is prevented from resisting by any intoxicating or anesthetic substance, or any controlled substance, and this condition was known, or reasonably should have been known by the accused, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a period of three, six, or eight years,” and two counts of violating section 289 (I) defined as “Except as provided in Section 288, any person over the age of 21 years who participates in an act of sexual penetration with another person who is under 16 years of age shall be guilty of a felony.”
Before investigators could arrest Powell, authorities think he fled Lake County and traveled to Oregon. Investigators think that Powell has been “hiding out” in Oregon since 2004 to avoid prosecution.
LPD Investigators have worked with law enforcement agencies in Oregon in an effort to locate Powell during the past few years.
After receiving information as to Powell”s location in Lane County Oregon, The Oregon State Police arrested him without incident on Thursday.
Based on Powell”s effort to avoid prosecution since 2004, Lakeport Police Department investigators asserted that the original bail amount of $20,000 was not sufficient to secure his appearance.
On Friday Lakeport Police Department Detective Norm Taylor presented a Lake County Superior Court Judge with an application for increased bail and Powell”s bail was ordered increased to $250,000.
Powell will be held in the Lane County Oregon Correctional Facility pending extradition.
