District Attorney

The Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations in the Portland metro area. CCITF is a multi-agency unit made up of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers. 

The District Attorney’s Office assigns two Deputy District Attorneys (DDAs) to work closely with CCITF. Their responsibilities include: 

• Advising on search and seizure law, forfeiture, property, and search warrants
• Interpreting legislative and judicial decisions
• Prosecuting suspects investigated by CCITF, including cases related to fatal overdoses 

One DDA is also designated as a Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA), allowing prosecution of Clackamas County cases in either state or federal court. 

This partnership strengthens the county’s ability to target organized drug crime while ensuring compliance with legal standards. 

DUII Court provides an alternative approach for defendants with a history of driving under the influence (DUII), especially those who have already faced traditional penalties like jail, fines, and probation. The program addresses the underlying issues of addiction and accountability, aiming to reduce repeat offenses and improve public safety. 

How DUII Court Works 

Each participant is supported by a multi-disciplinary team, which includes: 

• DUII Court judge
• Defense counsel
• Deputy district attorney
• Deputy sheriff
• Probation officer
• Treatment court coordinator
• Local treatment providers DUII Court judge

Because the program is voluntary, participants are motivated to succeed. Every team member, including the participant, plays a critical role in achieving positive outcomes.  

Program Benefits

While charges are not dismissed through DUII Court, participants gain access to: 

• Inpatient and outpatient treatment programs
• Reduced or waived fines and fees
• Reduced jail sanctions
• Support for employment, education, housing, and healthcare

Program Goal 

DUII Court helps participants overcome addiction and develop the skills needed to maintain long-term sobriety. Graduates often continue to support others in recovery, creating safer communities and reducing the risk of future DUII incidents. 

Drug Court is designed for adults whose criminal behavior is connected to drug abuse or addiction. The program supports individuals who do not have current or past convictions involving firearms, violent crimes resulting in serious injury or death, drug manufacturing or distribution, or sexual offenses. 

Program Goals 

Drug Court aims to reduce drug-related crime and repeat offenses by offering treatment, accountability, and access to community resources. Participants learn about addiction, build skills to live drug-free, and receive support for long-term recovery. 

How the Program Works 

To enter Drug Court, defendants must plead guilty and sign a plea petition as part of a negotiated agreement. Unlike some specialty courts, successful completion does not typically lead to dismissal of charges. Instead, participants often receive a significantly reduced sentence and may avoid prison. 

Program Structure 

Drug Court includes four phases, each with its own goals: 

1. Treatment
2. Recovery
3. Relapse Prevention
4. Community Transition 

Participants are required to: 

• Attend scheduled court appearances
• Engage in treatment and rehabilitation services
• Provide frequent drug tests
• Work closely with a probation officer who tracks progress and compliance 

Graduation Requirements 

To complete the program, participants must demonstrate: 

• Consistent clean drug tests
• Employment or enrollment in education/vocational training
• Stable, clean-and-sober housing
• Other indicators of a stable, healthy lifestyle 

The Domestic Violence Deferred Sentencing Program (DVDSP) is available to eligible defendants charged with certain misdemeanor offenses involving an intimate partner or family/household member. 

How the Program Works 

To participate, individuals must: 

• Plead guilty to the criminal charge
• Complete a batterer’s intervention program
• Complete a substance abuse program, if ordered by the court
• Attend regular court hearings to monitor progress
• Follow all additional court directives 

Entry into the program requires approval from the District Attorney’s Office. 

Program Outcome 

DVDSP is a diversion program. If a participant meets all requirements and successfully completes the program, the misdemeanor charges are dismissed. 

District Attorney and Units

John Wentworth, District Attorney 
1000 Courthouse Road map
districtattorney@clackamas.us
503-655-8431
Fax: 503-655-8943

Community Court supports people charged with low-level, quality-of-life offenses—such as trespassing or minor shoplifting—by offering a path that focuses on accountability, stability and long-term success. 

Instead of traditional penalties, the court connects participants with services that address the issues contributing to their involvement in the justice system. Each participant completes an individualized plan that includes: 

• Community service, giving back to the community as a form of accountability.
• Social service support, such as housing assistance, counseling referrals or employment resources. 

Participants who successfully complete their plan avoid jail, fines and probation. For most first-time offenders, charges are dismissed when they graduate from the program. 

A One-Stop Service Mall 

Community organizations and volunteers partner with the court to create a co-located Service Mall—a centralized hub offering easy access to multiple forms of support. The Service Mall is open to all Community Court participants and to anyone in the community who needs assistance, regardless of whether they have a current case. 

Available services include: 

• Help applying for food stamps, Social Security benefits and other self-sufficiency programs
• Referrals for mental health and addiction counseling
• Job readiness support, including résumé help
• Connections to Job Corps, workforce training and other employment resources 

By reducing barriers and offering meaningful support, Community Court helps participants build stability and avoid future involvement in the criminal justice system. 

The District Attorney’s Office has a very important partnership with law enforcement, but we are separate entities with different duties and responsibilities. Local law enforcement agencies are responsible for investigating allegations of criminal conduct. The duration and intensity of those investigations depend on the type of crime being investigated.

Once the investigation is complete, the law enforcement agency submits the case to the District Attorney's Office for review. The type of crime that is alleged will determine which prosecution team, described below, will handle the case. To provide better continuity and service to victims, every prosecutor in the Clackamas County District Attorney's handles their assigned cases from the charging stage through to the cases' conclusion. Vertical prosecution has shown to improve conviction rates, reduce victim trauma, and provide more consistent, appropriate sentencing.

View our photo gallery

Teams and Programs

The Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office has 35 Deputy District Attorneys, four investigators, seven child support agents, 10 victim advocates and over 30 people on our administrative team who serve the community in many ways. Deputy District Attorneys are first and foremost trial attorneys, but we have many other functions such as charging and negotiating criminal cases and staffing numerous courts appearances every day. Deputy District Attorneys, Victim Advocates and our investigators are on call 24 hours a days, 7 days a week to provide support to law enforcement and crime victims, whether it be reviewing search warrants, answering legal questions, or responding to major crime scenes or hospitals to help victims in crisis. Our staff are assigned to the following teams and specialty programs:

Employee Spotlight

Team Photos

Victims have the right to a meaningful role in the criminal justice process. Victim Assistance helps individuals understand and exercise their rights under Oregon law and the Oregon Constitution. 

Core rights include: 

• The right to have a meaningful role in the criminal or juvenile justice process
• The right to be treated with dignity and respect
• The right to fair and impartial treatment
• The right to reasonable protection from the offender 

Some rights are automatic, while others must be requested. Advocates inform victims of their rights as early as possible. Rights apply during an investigation, after arrest, throughout court proceedings, and after conviction. 

For questions or help exercising your rights, contact Victim Assistance at 503-655-8616 or victimsassistance@clackamas.us. 

Victim Rights in Oregon

Below is an overview of your rights as a victim under Oregon law. It is your responsibility to exercise your rights at each step of the process.

When criminal charges are filed

Protection and Participation

• You have the right to be reasonably protected from the defendant throughout the criminal justice process. 
  Or. Const. art. I, § 43(1)
• You have the right to be present at any critical stage of the proceedings in open court when the defendant is present. 
  If you request it, you have the right to be informed in advance of these hearings and to be heard at pretrial release hearings and sentencing hearings. 
  Or. Const. art. I, § 42(1)(a); ORS 419C.273(1)(a) 

When the defendant appears in court

Your Privacy 

• If you request , your current address and phone number the court must bkeep that information confidential from the defendant. 
  ORS 135.970(1); ORS 135.815 

Your Choice to Participate 

• You have the right to refuse interviews, depositions, or other requests from the defendant or anyone acting on their behalf. 
  Or. Const. art. I, § 42(1)(c); ORS 135.970(3)
• You have the right to know the identity of anyone working for the defendant who contacts you. 
  You can speak with the defense, but you have the right to refuse to speak with them or request that a deputy district attorney be present when you speak with them. 
  ORS 135.970(2) 

In Violent Felony Cases 

• If you request it, you have the right to be consulted about plea negotiations. 
  Or. Const. art. I, § 42(1)(f) 

Court Scheduling 

• If you request it, you have the right for your schedule to be taken into consideration when there are changes to court dates where your presence is required (including pretrial and trial). 
  ORS 136.145 

Access to Records 

• You have the right to request and purchase a transcript of any opencourt proceeding (if one exists). 
  Or. Const. art. I, § 42(1)(e); ORS 147.419
• If you request it, you have the right to receive information about the offenders:
  • conviction
  • sentence
  • imprisonment
  • criminal history
  • future release from custody 
     
    • Or. Const. art. I, § 42(1)(b) 

At sentencing

• If you request, you have the right to give a Victim Impact Statement to the court at the time of sentencing. 
  You may speak yourself, have a guardian or next of kin speak, ask the deputy district attorney to speak for you, or have your own attorney make the statement. 
  Or. Const. art. I, § 42(1)(a)
• You have the right to ask the judge to consider ordering a compensatory fine to be paid to you. 
  ORS 137.101
• You have the right to receive restitution from the offender for your losses. 
  Article 1. Section 42(1)(d) and ORS 137.106(1) 

After sentencing

Parole Hearings 

• If you request it and provide your address to the Board of Post-Prison Supervision, you have the right to be notified of and appear at parole hearings. 
  ORS 144.750(2)(a) 

Notice of Release 

• If you request it, you have the right to be notified 30 days before the offender is released from prison. 
  ORS 144.260(2)-(3) 

What is human trafficking?

The Polaris Project, a survivor-centered, justice- and equity-driven organization, defines human trafficking as “the business of stealing freedom for profit.” Traffickers may use deception, coercion, threats, or physical force to exploit victims for sex or labor under inhumane, illegal, or unacceptable conditions. Globally, human trafficking affects 24.9 million people and generates billions of dollars in criminal profit. 

Polaris operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline, connecting survivors to support and services, helping communities hold traffickers accountable, and maintaining the largest known dataset on human trafficking in North America. This data informs strategies to prosecute traffickers, support survivors’ recovery, and address systemic vulnerabilities. 

Human Trafficking in Clackamas County 

In 2015, the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office began assessing the human trafficking issue locally. Meetings with regional and national experts confirmed that trafficking affects individuals of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and socio-economic backgrounds. 

“Our main goal at the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office is to provide justice and safety to crime victims and our community. Combatting human trafficking is a major part of that mission,” said District Attorney John Wentworth. 

Senior Deputy District Attorney Stacey Borgman leads the Human Trafficking team. 

Partnerships and the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) 

In 2015, the District Attorney’s Office formed a Human Trafficking Work Group, partnering with local law enforcement, the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Coalition, and other agencies. This group evolved into the Clackamas County Human Trafficking Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), one of the first certified by the Oregon Department of Justice. 

The MDT meets monthly with law enforcement, non-governmental organizations, the juvenile department, the Department of Human Services, and other partners. Subcommittees focus on: 

• Law Enforcement
• Victim Services
• Training and Outreach
• Data Collection
• Labor Trafficking 

The District Attorney’s Office chairs the MDT, (HTMDTLE), and the Steering Committee. The MDT develops protocols and guidelines for identifying victims, responding to cases, investigating, prosecuting, and providing a continuum of care. It also provides training to law enforcement, hospitals, hotels, and community organizations. 

Diversion and Education Programs 

• Community Court Diversion 
  The District Attorney’s Office integrated a diversion program for individuals engaging in prostitution, connecting them with counseling, mentorship, and support services. Hundreds of victims have benefited from this program.
• Sex Buyers Accountability and Diversion (SBAD) Program 
  In partnership with the Milwaukie Police Department, this program educates individuals who purchase sex about the impact of their actions. Funds generated through SBAD support local trafficking victims and related services. 

Since 2016, law enforcement has taken a proactive approach to investigating trafficking, conducting organized operations to locate victims and hold traffickers and buyers accountable. 

 Victim Assistance 

Victim Assistance provides support for survivors during prosecution and through the Human Trafficking MDT. Leaving a trafficking situation can be extremely difficult due to factors such as: 

• Stockholm Syndrome
• Debt bondage
• Isolation
• Fear of authority or retribution
• Embarrassment or shame 

Signs a person may be a trafficking victim include: 

• Chronic runaway behavior (minors)
• Prior or current DHS involvement
• Poor school attendance
• Unexplained bruises or injuries
• Scripted or inconsistent answers
• Frequent travel along the I-5 corridor
• Unusual relationships, e.g., with much older partners
• Tattoos, branding, or gang affiliation
• Clothing inappropriate for the weather 

Victim Assistance provides immediate crisis intervention, on-scene response, safety planning, ongoing support, and referrals. Advocates are available 24/7 at 503-655-8616. 

Additional Resources

Safety Compass
971-235-0021 (24 hrs)
Immediate response and ongoing support for survivors of the sex industry in Clackamas, Marion and Washington counties.

A Village for One
503-730-1469
Provides outpatient mental health services to youth, ages 25 and under, in Clackamas and Marion counties who are victims of trafficking or at high risk for trafficking.

National Human Trafficking Hotline
1-888-373-7888
The National Human Trafficking Hotline connects victims and survivors of sex and labor trafficking with services and supports to get help and stay safe. The Trafficking Hotline also receives tips about potential situations of sex and labor trafficking and facilitates reporting that information to the appropriate authorities in certain cases.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
1-800-843-5678
TTY: 711
Text: 233733
National hotline for reporting missing children and suspected child victims of sex trafficking.