Had he not been in jail Tuesday, Shane Jay Anderson could have joined in what passes for a purposeful journey in Portland: He could’ve been protesting, seizing control of Millar Library at Portland State University, standing up for Palestine. And looking for something to steal.
Instead, Anderson was in Multnomah County Courtroom 10-D finally facing a reckoning for looting the Bait shop on Southwest Broadway during the George Floyd riots in 2020.
On May 30, 2020, Portland police were in downtown Portland responding to crowds looting. At about 8:30 p.m., officers went by Bait — a shop for streetwear, sneakers and collectible toys. The business was closed, but rioters had smashed windows and were inside grabbing merchandise.
Cops stopped looters who were leaving the store with their arms full of goods — including Anderson.
Among the charges initially filed against him were rioting, second-degree burglary, first-degree theft and unlawful possession of meth.
Four months later, the riot charge and one count of second-degree burglary was dropped, courtesy of Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt’s sweeping dismissals of 1,000-plus riot charges following Portland summer of protests.
However, a companion charge for helping himself to streetwear, sneakers and more at the Bait Shop on SW Broadway has still been hanging around. In the meantime, he has been charged with multiple other crimes.
A year after the riots, federal drug agents found 1.5 kilograms of meth in an apartment where he lived on Southeast MLK Boulevard and 60 blue tablets suspected of containing fentanyl, according to court records. He was charged with possession with intent to distribute meth.
Anderson, who abuses meth, heroin and alcohol was ordered into treatment twice. He failed to complete both treatment programs and eventually absconded from pretrial supervision.
While still facing those federal charges, a year ago he was arrested on new state felony charges in Clackamas County related to two counts of aggravated identity theft, involving more than 26 victims. He obtained pieces of their personal identification to convert to his own use. He was also accused of stealing merchandise from Famous Footwear.
Anderson is 44, has a 10th-grade education and has lived in Portland almost all his life. It’s hard to tell when he last held a regular job. His older conviction history includes two DUIIs, reckless driving and burglary. His mother told authorities that he uses her address for mail, but he usually stays with friends.
Now this tall, middle-aged man with a paunch, is going to prison.
“I’m ready to get this behind me …. relieved to get it done … actually start my future thing … become a different and productive member of society,” Anderson said towards the end of his sentencing.
Anderson had already resolved the federal drug case pending against him with a 57-month sentence and received 24 months for his Clackamas crimes (one count of aggravated identity theft was dropped as was the Famous Footwear theft). On Tuesday, he wrapped up the remaining Multnomah charges with an 18-month sentence. The sentences will run concurrently, with some portion in state prison and another portion in federal.
Deputy District Attorney Gary Patrick Ryan Solomon said it was as if Anderson was “declaring criminal bankruptcy.”
More curious, though, is how Anderson had managed to escape America’s “mass incarceration” movement for so long.
He opted to plead no contest to burglarizing the Bait store during the riots instead of pleading guilty — an acknowledgement that the state has evidence that would likely prove his guilt.
“It looks exactly the same on your record,” Multnomah County Circuit Judge Kelly Skye told him.
Anderson seemed more concerned about $2,500 bail his mother had posted for him in Washington County for a case that was dismissed and $4,500 she had posted in Clackamas County. Because he had been moved around he was concerned that the money will be taken by Multnomah County for fines.
“I doubt that is the case, and I don’t have the ability to override that. … It is done by statute or some other…,” Skye said, sounding annoyed. “I don’t even know where you are getting the information.”
Anderson wondered if the money would go to parking tickets from a long time ago. (He expressed no interest in how much his court-appointed attorneys were costing.)
“Mom is getting the run-around. … Talk to this person, talk to that person,” he said.
Skye suggested he have his attorney research it.
For all the publicity generated by Portland’s riots of 2020, Anderson’s sentencing attracted no public interest. I only happened to observe it because I was following another case in the same courtroom. Even Anderson’s mother wasn’t there. The manager of Bait was unavailable for a comment.
Anderson was just another drug-addled thief who saw a terrific opportunity. Portland is full of them.
As the hearing wound down, the judge told Anderson he would probably find more opportunities available in federal prison than state prison. While she thought it admirable that he wanted to become a productive citizen, Skye warned him that in prison he will be surrounded by people with criminal-thinking patterns, “who want to blame everybody else for their problems.”
She told him to look in the mirror every day and ask himself, “Am I being true to what I really want to be?”
Anderson said he has already decided what he wants to do when he leaves prison: Get out of Portland. Get out of Oregon.
It sounds like he found something to blame for his problems.
Quote: ....surrounded by people with criminal-thinking patterns, “who want to blame everybody else for their problems.”
The judge's words also cover most black bloc rioters, reminiscent of the lyric about "your own confusion" in Red Rider's Lunatic Fringe. It seems nearly impossible to get any self-reflection out of those people.
P.S. And America's most famous orange whiner, on trial seemingly all year.
thoroughly enjoyed the article.
an insight into a small time miscreant that says a lot - I think - about people who are addicts and tend to follow the crowd - just to be somebody . I read the Sunday NY Times and there is a "feature" right before the "Metropolitan Diary" about NY people, some in similar situations. It is real time human reporting and I enjoy it.