November 6, 2024
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced that Levi Denison, 30, was sentenced yesterday by a Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge to 120 months prison in relation to numerous incidents across seven cases occurring between 2022 and 2024.
Plea and Sentencing
Deputy District Attorney Anthony Dundon and Deputy District Attorney Cody Linderholm represented the State in these matters. A global resolution was negotiated over the course of months, and on September 27, 2024, Denison entered pleas of guilty to resolve various pending criminal cases against him.
Collectively, Denison pleaded guilty to charges of:
- Assaulting a Public Safety Officer
- Multiple counts of Possession of Methamphetamine in Substantial Quantities and constituting a Commercial Drug Offense
- Multiple counts of Unlawful Use of a Vehicle
- Multiple counts of Felony Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer
- Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver to Injured Persons
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- Aggravated Theft in the First Degree
- Multiple counts of Aggravated Identity Theft
- Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Delivery of Methamphetamine
- Conspiracy to Commit Supplying Contraband
- Promoting Prostitution
Yesterday, the Honorable Judge Skye sentenced Denison to 120 months prison in the Oregon Dept. of Corrections, pursuant to the plea negotiations. Denison will be subject to 3 years of post-prison supervision upon release.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes the effect of such offending on both individuals and businesses and would like to express our sincere appreciation for all who contributed to the resolution of these cases. Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office wishes to extend a special acknowledgment to the detectives and patrol officers of the Port of Portland Police, Portland Police Bureau, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, and our partners in Federal law enforcement.
*Original Message (10/6/23)*
Grand Jury Indicts Two Car Thieves on Multiple Charges from East Portland and Portland Airport
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt today announced multiple recent grand jury indictments stemming from stolen car activity in East Portland and near the Portland International Airport. The District Attorney’s Office worked with the Portland Police Bureau and the Port of Portland Police on issuing charges against two individuals for multiple counts of criminal behavior: Jessie Garza III, 30, and Levi Mitchell Denison, 29. A summary of the relevant cases, which are being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Tony Dundon, are as follows.
Defendant Jessie Garza
Indictment 1
On June 19, 2023, a Port of Portland police officer responded to the Portland Airport Rental Car Center to meet a couple who reported their car, an Audi, was stolen from the long-term parking garage. CCTV footage revealed that someone had taken their car and crashed through the tollgate without stopping to exit the garage. The same footage showed another vehicle with no front plate approach the gate just prior to the crash. The driver, later identified as Garza, preemptively ducked his face down and paid for parking.
On July 11, the owner of the stolen Audi contacted Port of Portland Police and reported that he had received a ticket for a photo radar speeding violation on June 18. Five photographs showed the driver of the vehicle to be Jessie Garza. The speeding event occurred approximately six hours after the theft and breaking through of the toll gate at PDX.
On July 18, PPB Officers notified Port of Portland Police that Garza was at the PPB East Precinct. Port of Portland police arrived and interviewed Garza, who admitted to stealing cars and using methamphetamine. Garza was booked into custody. In between the initial report of the stolen Audi and Garza’s arrest on July 18, law enforcement determined that he had stolen multiple other vehicles.
The case was presented to a grand jury, which returned a true bill of indictment on August 29 for the following charges:
- Four counts of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle
- Four counts of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
- Two counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person
- One count of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree
- One count of Reckless Driving
Indictment 2
On July 18, 2023, PPB spoke with a Free2Move fleet regarding tracking of stolen vehicles from the Free2Move fleet (Free2Move is a commercial ride sharing business). An officer was alerted that a listed stolen vehicle was tracking at 2346-2404 SE 162nd. Officers responded to 162nd and Division and observed a Jeep with plates matching the stolen vehicle’s plates; an outline of the Free2Move stickers was visible on the vehicle but they had been removed. Officers observed movement inside the vehicle and discovered Jessie Garza sitting in the driver’s seat. Officers noted that the driver’s window was broken out and there was glass on the driver’s side floorboard. They also discovered a set of brass knuckles in Garza’s pocket and a handgun, a cut-down shotgun, and methamphetamine in the car; they later found a set of jiggle keys in his property.
The case was presented to a grand jury, which returned a true bill of indictment on August 9 for the following charges:
- One count of Aggravated Theft in the First Degree
- One counts of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle
- One count of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
- One count of Attempted Unauthorized Delivery of Methamphetamine
- One count of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine
- Two counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- One count of Unlawful Possession of a Machine Gun
- One count of Unlawful Possession of a Short-Barreled Machine Gun
- One count of Theft in the First Degree
- One count of Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon
- Four counts of Possession of a Burglary Tool
- One count of Theft in the Second Degree
- One count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm
Defendant Levi Denison
Indictment 1
On August 15, 2023, PPB received a call from POPPD advising of a reported white Audi having been stolen from a driveway while the owner was out of town. PPB officers spoke with the owner of the Audi by phone, who reported that the vehicle was stolen on August 12 and who shared Ring camera video with the officer. The video showed a black Audi pull into the driveway, a man get out of the driver’s seat, smash the window of the victim’s white Audi, and drive away in it. A female then got out of the rear passenger seat of the black Audi, went into the driver’s seat, and drove away. Officers recognized the suspect as Levi Denison. On reports that the vehicle was located, officers responded to SE 102nd and Martins Street, where they found the white Audi. Denison was arrested the same day and booked into custody.
The case was presented to a grand jury, which returned a true bill of indictment on August 24 for the following charges:
- One count of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle
- One count of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
- One count of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree
Indictment 2
On July 5, 2023, PPB responded to RTS Motors regarding a stolen 2011 Silver Ford F150 Raptor Pickup Truck. Roman indicated that on July 3, an individual test-drove and never returned the truck; Roman provided security footage. When running the Oregon Driver’s License number the individual gave in order to test-drive the truck, it came back “unable to locate,” and the name on the ID came back to a different person. A dragnet flyer was generated and two PPB officers recognized the suspect as Levi Denison from prior contacts and knowledge. The truck was recovered unoccupied at 2608 NE 68th Avenue.
At the same time that Denison was being interviewed for the August 12th stolen Audi case, officers questioned him about this case. Denison denied involvement.
The case was presented to a grand jury, which returned a true bill of indictment on August 24 for the following charges:
- One count of Aggravated Theft in the First Degree
- One count of Aggravated Identity Theft
- One count of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle
- One count of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
- One count of Identity Theft
- One count of Forgery in the Second Degree
Denison is currently in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center.
A charging instrument is only an accusation of a crime. Both Garza and Denison are innocent unless and until proven guilty.