Six Arrested on Child Sex Abuse Charges in Jackson County Sweep

Medford Metro, Oregon- A multi-agency child exploitation task force arrested six men Tuesday across Jackson County on a combined 39 felony charges related to encouraging child sexual abuse, authorities said.

The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) said the arrests followed separate investigations that began with tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. More than 800 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were discovered during the probe, officials said.

The charges include 30 counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse and nine counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. Each case was presented to a Grand Jury before warrants were issued.

The first arrest came in Eagle Point, where investigators located Kevin Lee Bratton, 46, in the 400 block of Stevens Road. Bratton is charged with 10 counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse after SOCET found more than 100 images in his possession.

In Ashland, officers arrested Shale Tiercel Pagel, 34, at his home in the 80 block of Pine Street. He faces five counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. Investigators said Pagel possessed 682 CSAM images.

During a traffic stop in White City, SOCET took David Richard Lubina, 40, of Medford, into custody on six counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. A prior search at his former Medford residence on Gate Park Drive uncovered 13 images, investigators said.

Brandon Scott Matlock, 39, of Eagle Point, was arrested at his home in the 6500 block of Shadow Glen Road on nine counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. Authorities reported finding 15 images during the investigation.

In Medford, officers arrested Margarito Baldazo Banuelos II, 19, at a residence in the 200 block of Ivy Street. He is charged with four counts of first-degree and three counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse. SOCET said a tip led investigators to a prior location in Talent, where evidence tied to Banuelos was found. He was in possession of 12 images, according to authorities.

Another suspect, Erik Thiel Rowe, 45, was taken into custody in Missouri and is awaiting extradition to Oregon. Rowe faces one count each of first- and second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse after investigators found two images in a converted school bus near Rogue River. He also has an outstanding warrant for a probation violation on a prior second-degree sex abuse conviction, officials said.

All suspects taken into custody in Oregon were lodged in the Jackson County Jail.

SOCET said the sweep involved assistance from numerous agencies, including the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, Oregon State Police, Medford Police Department, Ashland Police Department, Central Point Police Department, Eagle Point Police Department, Talent Police Department, and the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force.

SOCET was formed in June 2020 and includes investigators from multiple local, state, and federal agencies working to combat child exploitation in Jackson and Josephine counties.

All suspects are believed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law