‘Armed and dangerous’ fugitive who was arrested at Bend shopping center gets federal sentence for drug trafficking
Barney Lerten
(Update: Adding Deschutes County drug prosecutor comment)
EUGENE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Salem-area armed robbery suspect arrested last year at Bend’s Cascade Village Shopping Center was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison Wednesday for drug trafficking following a multi-agency investigation led by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.
Ryan Gossett, 39, of Turner, Oregon received a sentence of to 210 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release, federal prosecutors said.
According to court documents, on April 26, 2024, Gossett was apprehended in Bend after fleeing prosecution in Marion County for armed robbery. When arrested, Gossett was in possession of a handgun and small amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Federal prosecutors had contacted the sheriff’s office that afternoon about the fugitive wanted on a nationwide warrant likely being in the Bend area and last known to be armed. He was found with a female associate, circling the shopping center. Eventually, their vehicle was pinned in and he was taken into custody without further incident.
Two days later, investigators with the DCSO Criminal Detectives Division executed a search warrant on Gossett’s vehicle, lfinding over 900 grams of methamphetamine, 330 grams of fentanyl, and firearm magazines.
Gossett was indicted on June 20, 2024, and pleaded guilty on July 9 of this year to a single count of Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 500 grams of Methamphetamine.
Gossett has multiple prior convictions for delivery of a controlled substance, prosecutors said.
The case was investigated by the DCSO, with assistance from the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, and the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Andrew R. Doyle, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Doyle, who is also a Deschutes County deputy DA, told KTVZ News Wednesday: “I’m just a narcotics lawyer. All credit goes to the hard-working men and women in Central Oregon law enforcement who apprehended Mr. Gossett. Without them, these outcomes don’t happen.”
“I’d also like to once again thank DA (Steve) Gunnels and the Eugene US Attorney’s Office for our continued and successful strategic partnership,” Doyle added.