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OREGON CITY, Or. -- A 22-year-old man who set fire to a building at the former Blue Heron paper mill in Oregon City plead guilty to arson Thursday and was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
Christian Gannon Dukes pled guilty in Clackamas County Circuit Court to Arson in the First Degree. Other charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Dukes admitted to intentionally setting a fire on Jan. 30, 2025 that destroyed a three-story building at the long-vacant paper mill at the south end of downtown Oregon City. Dukes stacked a pile of paper several feet high on the floor of the wooden building, then ignited it with a Bic lighter.
He disclosed that he was upset because he believed some of his belongings had been stolen by transients who camped on the property at 419 Main Street.
The fire suppression effort involved approximately 190 fire personnel. Three firefighters were injured while battling the blaze, which took hours to get under control.
The fire sent sparks drifting toward a residential area on a bluff above and to the east of the mill. Law enforcement officers monitored the area for fires that might be ignited by burning debris.
“This fire created a very dangerous situation and put many people in harm's way,” said Deputy District Attorney John Millar, who prosecuted the case.
Restitution has not been set and will be addressed at a future hearing.
Clackamas County Circuit Court case 25CR33032
