Joint Task Force Sweep Arrests Six Local Suspects for 61 Felony Counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse, Investigations Uncover Nearly 7000 Explicit Images

Jackson County Sheriff's Office

Rogue Valley, Ore. – The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) joint inter-agency task force arrested six separate suspects Thursday on 61 Encouraging Child Sex Abuse felony charges. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies and the US Marshals’ Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) along with Central Point Police Department (CPPD), and Grants Pass Department of Public Safety (GPDPS) assisted with the operation that included warrants served throughout Jackson and Josephine County. Although the cases are not connected, in total investigations uncovered nearly 7000 images of child exploitation among the six suspects. Felony charges include 44 first-degree, and 17 second-degree Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse. Out of those arrested, one-third had local child victims.

Investigations led the task force throughout the Rogue Valley including addresses in Ashland, Central Point, Grants Pass, Medford, Talent, and White City. These locations included where suspects uploaded child exploitation images, as well as their residences and places of employment.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) tips started each investigation, which led to subpoenas, followed by search warrants at the respective residences. Digital devices were seized, additional warrants were obtained, and the digital devices were forensically examined at the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force (SOHTCTF) where evidence was located.

Anthony Paul Craker, 33, of Ashland, was arrested on 15 felony counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. A NCMEC cyber tip led investigators to the 500 block of Tulipan Way in Talent where child exploitation images were uploaded. During the course of the investigation it was discovered Craker was communicating sexually with underage minors and was found to be in possession of more than 700 child exploitation images. Craker was arrested Thursday in the 200 block of Lowe Rd. in Ashland. He is now lodged at the Jackson County jail on $250,000 bail.

Jon Paul Bouchard, 31, of White City, was arrested on two felony counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. A NCMEC cyber tip led investigators to the 500 block of Benson St. in Medford where the images were uploaded to social media. Bouchard was arrested in the 3700 block of Falcon St. in White City. He is now lodged at the Jackson County jail on $50,000 bail.

Omar De Jesus Galvan, 19, of White City, was arrested on 10 felony counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. A NCMEC cyber tip led investigators to the 3400 block of Avenue C in White City where child exploitation images were uploaded to social media. During the course of investigations, De Jesus Galvan was found to be in possession of more than 3600 images of child exploitation. He was arrested at his place of employment in the 7500 block of Crater Lake Highway in White City, and is now lodged at the Jackson County jail on $250,000 bail.

Stephen Bernard Habermann, 60, of Grants Pass, was arrested on 11 felony counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. A NCMEC cyber tip led investigators to the 3000 block of Old Military Rd. in Central Point where child exploitation images were uploaded to social media. Images were also uploaded at his place of employment in the 800 block of O’Hare Pkwy. in Medford. Investigations discovered images of local children downloaded from social media and altered so the victims looked nude. The images were then traded online for child pornography. Habermann was found to be in possession of more than 500 child exploitation images. He was arrested in the 400 block of “I” St. in Grants Pass, and is now lodged at the Josephine County jail on $250,000 bail.

Christopher Randall Savage, 39, of Medford, was arrested on two felony counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and 12 felony counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree. A NCMEC cyber tip led investigators to the 700 block of Crater Lake Ave. in Medford where child exploitation images were uploaded to social media. Savage was found to be in possession of more than 2000 images of child exploitation. He was arrested at his place of employment in the 1200 block of East McAndrews Rd. in Medford, and is now lodged at the Jackson County jail on $250,000 bail.

Matthew Alan Desmet, 38, of Central Point, was arrested on four felony counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and five felony counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree. A NCMEC cyber tip led investigators to the 4000 block of Old Upton Rd. in Central Point where child exploitation images were uploaded to social media. Desmet was found to be in possession of 19 child exploitation images. He was arrested in the 4000 block of Old Upton Rd. in Central Point and is now lodged at the Jackson County jail on $250,000 bail.

SOCET is a joint inter-agency task force that started in June of 2020 to combat child exploitation and human trafficking. The task force consists of investigators from JCSO, Medford Police Department (MPD), GPDPS, Oregon State Police (OSP), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and prosecutors from our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson and Josephine County.

JCSO Case #’s 21-1870, 20-17946, 21-0038, 21-0840, 20-7217, 20-17750