Crook County Sheriff's Office

09/02/2026

On 09/02/26, at approximately 12:44 am, deputies from the Crook County Sheriff's Office and officers from the Prineville Police Department responded to a report of a burglary in progress at the Ranchhouse in Brasada Ranch.

Two individuals were found attempting to take alcoholic beverages from the Ranchhouse and were confronted by an employee. The two individuals fled on foot. A K9 from the Bend Police Department was requested to respond. The K9 track was unsuccessful. There is no threat to the public.

There have been many posts on social media from people who heard "scanner chatter" that this was an armed Robbery. This was NOT an armed robbery.

We encourage everyone to be cautious about what they read and share on social media and to wait for factual information to emerge from trusted sources. Knee-jerk reactions can cause unnecessary panic.

The investigation is ongoing, and no further information will be released at this time.

09/01/2026

Date: 08/31/2026
From: Lieutenant Mitch Madden
Re: Drowning-Prineville Reservoir

PRESS RELEASE

On 08/29/26, at approximately 5:49 pm, Crook County 9-1-1 received multiple 9-1-1 calls regarding a subject who was in the water at Prineville Reservoir north of Powder House Cove Day Use in distress. Crook County 9-1-1 had difficulty obtaining additional information from the reporting parties due to poor cellular service in the area.

Deputies from the Crook County Sheriff’s Office and medics from Crook County Fire & Rescue were dispatched to the call. Airlink was also dispatched to the area to assist, along with a drone operator from the Prineville Police Department. Upon arrival, first responders located a kayak near the north shoreline of Prineville Reservoir with no body in or around it.

Airlink crews were able to land and access the shoreline and found the kayak was upside down. They searched the immediate shoreline but were unable to locate the person associated with the kayak. Airlink crews located a backpack and a fishing pole still in the kayak.

A CCSO Marine Deputy arrived on scene and, with the assistance of the Prineville Police Department drone, was able to search the area but was still unable to locate anybody. Deputies continued searching the area for several hours and eventually concluded the search, pending the arrival of additional resources to assist.

On 08/30/26, the Crook County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Klamath County Sheriff's Office Dive Rescue for their side-scan sonar boat. Additional assistance was requested from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Dive Rescue. After several hours of searching, the KCSO sonar boat located a person at a depth of approximately 90 feet of water. Due to issues with other safety equipment, the recovery was postponed until the following morning.

On 08/31/26, DCSO Dive Rescue was able to recover a male, later identified as 39-year-old Ricardo Toribio Amezcua of Redmond, Oregon. The decedent's family has been notified. Ricardo was the sole occupant of the kayak and found not to be wearing a life jacket while utilizing the kayak to fish from. At this time, this appears to be a tragic accident with no foul play suspected. CCSO extends its sincere condolences to the family of Ricardo.

The Crook County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Crook County Fire & Rescue, Airlink, Prineville Police Department, Whispering Pines Funeral Home, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Klamath County Sheriff's Office, Crook County 9-1-1, Redmond Police Department, Oregon State Parks & Recreation, Deschutes/Crook County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Crook County District Attorney’s Office.
No further information is available at this time.

08/31/2026

🔥Wildfire Update🔥

All evacuation levels for the Rowe Creek Complex have been removed.

Fire crews are still working in the area, use caution and pay attention to changing conditions.

08/30/2026

🚨BOATING INCIDENT🚨
Prineville Reservoir (Powder House Cove/Bowman Dam area)

08/30/26 10:00 am

The Crook County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Boating Incident near the north shore of Prineville Reservoir across from Powder House Cove. If you are recreating near this area, please use extreme caution and stay a safe distance away from law enforcement patrol boats.

No further information is available at this time.

08/27/2026

🚨WILDFIRE & EVACUATION UPDATE🚨

Thanks to the continued hard work and dedication of fire crews, the Crook County Sheriff’s Office has reduced several evacuation levels over the past few days.

There are now NO Level 3 (GO NOW) or Level 2 (BE SET) evacuation notifications remaining for the Rowe Creek Complex.

A Level 1 (BE READY) notification remains in effect for areas east of Mill Creek Road to Highway 26 and Ochoco Ranger Station Road.

🔥 Fire crews continue to actively work in the area. Residents should remain alert, use caution, and be prepared for changing conditions.

For more details on the evacuation zones go to https://protect.genasys.com/ or https://app.watchduty.org/

🙏 Thank you to our fire crews. Their dedication and continued efforts over well more than a month have been nothing short of incredible. We are grateful for the countless hours they have spent protecting our communities and working to bring these fires under control.

We also want to thank our community for your patience, understanding, and continued support throughout this difficult time. We know this has been a long and challenging experience for many, and we truly appreciate everyone's cooperation.

Stay alert. Stay informed. Stay prepared.

08/26/2026

🚨SMOKE INFORMATION🚨

08/25/26 7:45 pm

The Crook County Sheriff’s Office has received multiple inquiries about the smoke that is filtering into Crook County.

This smoke is from the Austin Fire that is burning in Clackamas County, to the northwest of us. At this time there are no new fires burning in Crook County.

08/24/2026

Date: 08/24/26
From: Lieutenant Mitch Madden
Re: 26-0543 Aggravated Theft I arrest

PRESS RELEASE

On 07/20/26, the Crook County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by an employee with Brasada Ranch (16986 SW Brasada Ranch Road, Powell Butte, Oregon) concerning the theft of approximately $20,000 worth of golf clubs, golf bags, and other golfing equipment.

Deputies with the Crook County Sheriff’s Office continued to follow up on the case and located the stolen golf items for sale on Facebook Marketplace, which included pictures of the clubs showing their serial numbers. Deputies contacted the golf club manufacturer and were able to match the golf club serial numbers as being sold to Brasada Ranch.

As the investigation continued, deputies identified a suspect, 44-year-old Matthew Wayne Chavis of Portland, Oregon. One of the photographs from the Facebook Marketplace ad showed a storage unit ID placard. The deputy searched all storage units in the Portland-Metro area and matched the business logo to the one in the Facebook Marketplace ad. Deputies obtained security camera video of Chavis moving the golf clubs into his storage unit. Deputies applied for and were granted a search warrant for the identified storage unit in Portland, Oregon. Deputies and Detectives set up a controlled buy to meet Chavis at his storage unit in Portland.

On 08/21/26, deputies traveled to Portland to execute the search warrant on the storage unit and to also meet with Chavis. Chavis arrived early at the storage unit and was taken into custody without incident. Deputies interviewed Chavis and learned that some golf club sets had allegedly been sold to others. Deputies then executed the search warrant and discovered the reported stolen golf bags inside Chavis’s storage unit.

Chavis was transported by CCSO deputies back to the Crook County Jail, where he was lodged on the charges of Aggravated Theft I, Burglary II, and Criminal Trespass II.

The case is being referred to the Crook County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

No further information is available at this time. The investigation is still ongoing.

Parties are innocent until proven guilty.

Case agent: Deputy Dakota Peterson.

08/24/2026

If you live on Paulina Highway and are missing goats, please contact Sergeant Sanchez at the Crook County Sheriff's Office. 541-447-6398 #1.

08/23/2026

WILDFIRE & EVACUATION Update
Rowe Creek Complex
8/23/2026 10:30AM

ALL Level 3 evacuation zones have been REDUCED!
Fire Crews are still actively working in many areas, please use caution and pay attention to changing conditions.

Check https://app.watchduty.org/ or https://protect.genasys.com/en?lat=44.3946&lng=-120.5856&z=11 for additional changes to evacuation zones and updates.

08/22/2026