Street Crimes Unit case plays role in prolific offender’s sentence, incarceration

In 2021, Eugene Police Street Crimes Unit handled a case involving 46-year-old James Joshua Crabtree, that ultimately played a role in Crabtree's sentencing and incarceration, with the earliest release date of May 2032. The case involved an SCU investigation, a strip club parking lot, a suspected drug cartel drop, an armed guard roaming the lot to protect the deal, thousands of dollars, heroin, guns, body armor, and multiple arrests.

Crabtree was on post-prison supervision after getting out in November 2020 for Delivery of Methamphetamine. SCU set up surveillance and when Crabtree was in a strip club parking lot at 1195 Main Street in Springfield, they observed what appeared to be a drug cartel drop off. An officer subsequently stopped the involved drop-off vehicle, an Audi, after it had left. The SCU drug detective K9 Jack, alerted on the vehicle and during a search SCU discovered $17,000 in cash. The 36-year-old driver was from California. There was no probable cause to arrest him on the stop.

Back at the strip club, SCU officers moved in and detained four individuals, including Crabtree. This ultimately led to SCU seizing two handguns, illegal drugs in Crabtree's truck, body armor, and $25,320. Crabtree was cited in lieu of custody for Unlawful Delivery of Heroin.

It took a long time to resolve this case as Crabtree fled Oregon for a time and was in Utah, where the governor banned extradition in the COVID era. Crabtree also has pending criminal issues in multiple states, but he is now in prison, partially on SCU case 21-05243

SCU focuses on prolific offenders, who are identified through intelligence-based policing, public tips, and other sources. They proactively respond across the city to quality-of-life issues as they arise, using all available resources and partners such as community groups, neighborhood associations and city services. SCU is dedicated to targeting immediate and acute community safety system issues while working toward mission-critical enhancements that need to be addressed through a longer-term and broader community safety initiative.