From the Office of the Sheriff Sheriff Dennis L. Dotson

For Immediate Release

NEWS RELEASE

Date: Sep 20, 2010

Summary:

On August 12th, 2010 Sergeant Brian Cameron of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a domestic assault call that occurred in the 4000 block of Yaquina Bay Road in Lincoln County. As a result of the investigation, Sergeant Cameron developed probable cause to arrest Uriah James Stitt, 31 years, of Newport, on charges of Assault in the Fourth Degree Constituting Domestic Violence, Interfering with Making a Police Report and Strangulation. Mr. Stitt was also charged with a Probation Violation as a result of this incident. Mr. Stitt had been placed on probation in another Domestic Violence case earlier this year for Coercion involving a different victim. Mr. Stitt was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail with zero bail. The investigation that continued revealed additional criminal conduct and additional charges were expected to follow.

The case was referred to the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office and was presented to the Lincoln County Grand Jury. On August 17th, 2010 the Grand Jury indicted Mr. Stitt on 3 counts of Felony Assault in the Forth Degree Constituting Domestic Violence for having 3 prior DV assault convictions which involved 2 other victims, 3 counts of Coercion, Menacing Constituting Domestic Violence, 3 counts of Strangulation Constituting Domestic Violence, 3 counts of Harassment, and Interfering with Making a Police Report. Mr. Stitt’s total bail was set at $525,000.

Mr. Stitt’s case was designated to Lincoln County’s newly developed Domestic Violence Court, which has specific protocols designed to efficiently address Domestic Violence (DV) cases for Lincoln County to increase DV offender accountability and victim safety. On September 16, Mr. Stitt plead guilty to 7 counts of Domestic Violence charges: Coercion, Felony Assault in the Fourth Degree Constituting Domestic Violence, Menacing Constituting Domestic Violence, 2 counts of Strangulation Constituting Domestic Violence, Interfering with Making a Report, and Harassment.

Based on Mr. Stitt’s significant DV criminal history, including DV convictions involving 4 different victims, and the criminal conduct he was convicted of in the cases before the court, Mr. Stitt was sentenced to 50 months in prison with 3 years of post prison supervision. Mr. Stitt was also denied programs that would allow any type of early release, requiring Mr. Stitt to serve every day of his 50 month sentence. Prosecutor Drew Moore of the Lincoln County DA’s Office said, “This case was a great example of Lincoln County’s swift and effective response to Domestic Violence as well as an illustration of the importance of having a DV Court to address these difficult and volatile cases.”

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