Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has reversed her decision not to extradite one of the suspects linked to burglaries targeting Asian Americans in Eugene and Springfield. But the governor’s office said another suspect will remain in Texas for now.
Last month, Asian American community leaders in Eugene called on Kotek to extradite a person linked with a burglary ring that targeted 17 Asian American business owners in Eugene and Springfield, as well as households in other parts of Oregon and Washington. They also called for more transparency, saying the lack of information could make marginalized community members even less likely to report crimes against them to the police.
In an email Friday, the governor’s office said two suspects linked to the ring fled to Texas. One of them will soon be extradited back to Oregon, as a result of the governor’s decision. The other is subject to a “hold” by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and will not be returning to Oregon, according to a spokesperson for Kotek.
Bringing the first suspect back to Oregon comes with a cost. Texas does not participate in Oregon’s shuttle extradition program, which includes Washington, Montana, Idaho and Northern California.
According to documents obtained by KLCC through a public records request, it costs Oregon about $25 dollars to extradite a suspect from the areas that participate in the shuttle program. Extraditing someone from a non-participating state costs nearly $1,800 dollars per person, according to the records.
KLCC also requested records on the criteria the governor’s staff uses to determine who qualifies for extradition. Kotek’s office denied that request.
In a statement Friday, Lane County District Attorney Chris Parosa confirmed that Kotek had approved the funds to extradite one of the suspects linked to the burglary ring.
“We are pleased by the decision and hope that it brings comfort to those community members that were the victims of these crimes,” Parosa wrote in an email. “It is the desire of the Lane County District Attorney’s Office that all of our community members feel safe and protected.
Leaders of the Eugene-based Asian American Council of Oregon also praised Kotek’s decision.
“We deeply appreciate the hard work of local law enforcement agencies and the Lane County DA’s Office who have worked so hard to obtain justice for the victims of these race-targeted offenses,” the organization wrote. “We look forward to continued collaboration to ensure that Oregon is a safe and welcoming place for all of its residents.”
The reversal is Kotek’s second recent reversal after community outcry. Kotek also changed her mind about extraditing the woman accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Eugene Weekly, which nearly shuttered the paper.
