The Marion County grand jury’s unanimous decision finding that Silverton Police Officer Tony Gonzalez’s use of deadly force against Andrew “AJ” Hanlon was consistent with the law plunged Silverton back into the spotlight.

July 24, just hours after the grand jury’s findings on the June 30 shooting were released, vans from Portland television news stations converged on City Hall, with Silverton Police Chief Rick Lewis giving an improvised press conference in front of the building.

During Silverton Police Officer Tony Gonzalez’s July 22 arraignment on charges of sexually abusing a minor, Judge Joseph Ochoa announced the grand jury had added two additional counts, bringing the total to three counts of first-degree sexual abuse and four counts of third-degree sexual abuse.

First-degree sexual abuse is a Measure 11 crime and carries a mandatory sentence, in this case 75 months for each count. Measure 11 was a 1994 ballot initiative that set minimum mandatory sentences for serious crimes.