Site search
sponsored by
News
ENLARGE
David Robertson
A Jan. 14 trial date was set this morning for David Scott Robertson of Roseburg, who is accused of drug, theft, burglary and firearm charges in Douglas County Circuit Court.
The 22-year-old is the son of Douglas County Commissioner Doug Robertson, who said Monday the family has been aware of the man's substance abuse problems for some time.
“We're like any other family or any other parents. We love our son,” the commissioner said in a phone interview. “We hope and pray he can turn this thing around and get in a positive direction.”
The charges stem from a Nov. 17 arrest that came after an investigation of stolen goods being sold at a local pawn shop.
During this morning's preliminary hearing before Judge George Ambrosini, David Robertson entered a not guilty plea to 11 counts contained in an indictment: unlawful possession of heroin, unlawful possession of a firearm, four counts of first-degree theft, two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree theft and one count of first-degree attempted theft.
Ambrosini denied a request to release David Scott Robertson from the Douglas County Jail. He also increased the bail for Robertson to $25,000, up from the original $15,000.
Defense attorney Jason Mahan had asked the judge to conditionally release his client without bail.
“He's 22 years old. He has no prior criminal history. He's a longtime resident of Douglas County. He has a lot of ties to the community. His family lives in the area,” Mahan said.
“I don't think Mr. Robertson is a flight risk,” he said, adding that he didn't think David Robertson posed a threat to the community.
With her voice being heard through a speaker phone, Coos County Deputy District Attorney Shani Krumholz argued against releasing the defendant.
Krumholz is prosecuting the case because Douglas County District Attorney Rick Wesenberg asked Coos County to handle the matter. Wesenberg felt it might appear to be a conflict of interest if his office handled the case because prosecutors often work with the commissioners.
At this morning's hearing, Krumholz argued David Robertson should not be released due to the seriousness of the charges against him. She also said additional charges may be filed based on additional firearms police found in his vehicle.
Krumholz conceded the defendant “has no adult criminal history, but by his own admission, his primary goal is obtaining heroin in his life and it's a habit he pays for by stealing.”
The prosecutor also said if the court should agree to release the man, he should be ordered into a residential treatment program “as heroin is the primary problem in this matter.”
David Robertson was arrested Nov. 17 as part of an investigation being conducted by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Dwes Hutson, spokesman for the sheriff's office, said Monday.
Earlier that day, a resident on the 2000 block of Little River Road in Glide had reported two chain saws, a leaf blower, a bicycle, flat-panel TV and other items had been stolen from a shop on his property, Hutson said.
A sheriff's deputy investigating the case called Associated Buyers, 443 N.E. Stephens St., in Roseburg to provide information on the stolen items and was told the defendant had reportedly sold a chain saw to the store that morning, Hutson said.
The store employee also said David Robertson was there at the time of the call and the deputy asked a Roseburg police officer to respond.
The officer recovered the items that allegedly had been taken from the Little River Road shop, either in the store or in the man's vehicle, Hutson said.
According to a Roseburg Police Department news release, an officer detained the man and found about two grams of heroin in his possession and a loaded handgun in his vehicle.
He was arrested for unlawful possession of heroin and unlawful possession of a firearm. Sgt. Aaron Dunbar, spokesman for the Roseburg Police Department, said the weapons charge stemmed from the fact the gun was hidden in a pocket near the driver's seat in the vehicle, within the man's reach, and that he didn't have a concealed weapons permit for the gun.
At the time of his arrest, the sheriff's office filed charges of second-degree burglary and first-degree theft in connection to the Glide incident.
Hutson said, after further investigation, the sheriff's office found items in the vehicle that matched the description of items taken in a separate incident from another residence in the 2000 block of Little River Road in Glide.
On Nov. 24, the sheriff's office filed additional charges of first-degree attempted theft and second-degree theft in connection with that incident.
Commissioner Robertson said Monday, “For Emily (his wife) and I, this is nothing new. David has been dealing with substance abuse issues for some time. Our friends and family have known about it. But now with the arrest it's a matter of public record and public discussion.”
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
The 22-year-old is the son of Douglas County Commissioner Doug Robertson, who said Monday the family has been aware of the man's substance abuse problems for some time.
“We're like any other family or any other parents. We love our son,” the commissioner said in a phone interview. “We hope and pray he can turn this thing around and get in a positive direction.”
The charges stem from a Nov. 17 arrest that came after an investigation of stolen goods being sold at a local pawn shop.
During this morning's preliminary hearing before Judge George Ambrosini, David Robertson entered a not guilty plea to 11 counts contained in an indictment: unlawful possession of heroin, unlawful possession of a firearm, four counts of first-degree theft, two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree theft and one count of first-degree attempted theft.
Ambrosini denied a request to release David Scott Robertson from the Douglas County Jail. He also increased the bail for Robertson to $25,000, up from the original $15,000.
Defense attorney Jason Mahan had asked the judge to conditionally release his client without bail.
“He's 22 years old. He has no prior criminal history. He's a longtime resident of Douglas County. He has a lot of ties to the community. His family lives in the area,” Mahan said.
“I don't think Mr. Robertson is a flight risk,” he said, adding that he didn't think David Robertson posed a threat to the community.
With her voice being heard through a speaker phone, Coos County Deputy District Attorney Shani Krumholz argued against releasing the defendant.
Krumholz is prosecuting the case because Douglas County District Attorney Rick Wesenberg asked Coos County to handle the matter. Wesenberg felt it might appear to be a conflict of interest if his office handled the case because prosecutors often work with the commissioners.
At this morning's hearing, Krumholz argued David Robertson should not be released due to the seriousness of the charges against him. She also said additional charges may be filed based on additional firearms police found in his vehicle.
Krumholz conceded the defendant “has no adult criminal history, but by his own admission, his primary goal is obtaining heroin in his life and it's a habit he pays for by stealing.”
The prosecutor also said if the court should agree to release the man, he should be ordered into a residential treatment program “as heroin is the primary problem in this matter.”
David Robertson was arrested Nov. 17 as part of an investigation being conducted by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Dwes Hutson, spokesman for the sheriff's office, said Monday.
Earlier that day, a resident on the 2000 block of Little River Road in Glide had reported two chain saws, a leaf blower, a bicycle, flat-panel TV and other items had been stolen from a shop on his property, Hutson said.
A sheriff's deputy investigating the case called Associated Buyers, 443 N.E. Stephens St., in Roseburg to provide information on the stolen items and was told the defendant had reportedly sold a chain saw to the store that morning, Hutson said.
The store employee also said David Robertson was there at the time of the call and the deputy asked a Roseburg police officer to respond.
The officer recovered the items that allegedly had been taken from the Little River Road shop, either in the store or in the man's vehicle, Hutson said.
According to a Roseburg Police Department news release, an officer detained the man and found about two grams of heroin in his possession and a loaded handgun in his vehicle.
He was arrested for unlawful possession of heroin and unlawful possession of a firearm. Sgt. Aaron Dunbar, spokesman for the Roseburg Police Department, said the weapons charge stemmed from the fact the gun was hidden in a pocket near the driver's seat in the vehicle, within the man's reach, and that he didn't have a concealed weapons permit for the gun.
At the time of his arrest, the sheriff's office filed charges of second-degree burglary and first-degree theft in connection to the Glide incident.
Hutson said, after further investigation, the sheriff's office found items in the vehicle that matched the description of items taken in a separate incident from another residence in the 2000 block of Little River Road in Glide.
On Nov. 24, the sheriff's office filed additional charges of first-degree attempted theft and second-degree theft in connection with that incident.
Commissioner Robertson said Monday, “For Emily (his wife) and I, this is nothing new. David has been dealing with substance abuse issues for some time. Our friends and family have known about it. But now with the arrest it's a matter of public record and public discussion.”
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
