EUGENE, Ore. — On Thursday, February 6, authorities from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) conducted a series of coordinated search warrants at multiple Eugene residences as part of an ongoing investigation into child exploitation.
The first search warrant was served at a residence in the 100 block of Lea Avenue, where detectives contacted and arrested 31-year-old Noah Alan Starkey-Gomes. Starkey-Gomes faces two counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree and two counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree. He was subsequently lodged at the Lane County Jail.
A second search warrant was executed at a residence in the 2500 block of Willakenzie Road, leading to the arrest of 42-year-old James Watson Gilbert. Gilbert has been charged with 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree and 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree. Like Starkey-Gomes, Gilbert was booked into Lane County Jail.
The arrests were the result of separate, unrelated investigations by the Lane County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which is focused on addressing child sexual abuse and exploitation. While there is no indication that any local victims are involved in the case, the charges stem from the possession of child pornography, authorities confirmed.
The LCSO received assistance from several agencies during the investigations, including the Springfield Police Department, Eugene Police Department, Oregon State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Oregon Department of Justice.
The ongoing efforts of the ICAC Task Force highlight the commitment of local and federal law enforcement agencies to combat child exploitation in the region.
