LA GRANDE — A La Grande man was found guilty and convicted in Union County Circuit Court after he fought with law enforcement and resisted arrest.

Cory Hamilton, 39, was arrested in June 2023 on charges of resisting arrest, two counts of assaulting a public safety officer, second-degree disorderly conduct and on a parole violation detainer, according to Oregon public records. An amended indictment later added two felony counts each of assaulting a public safety officer and fourth-degree assault, stated a press release from the Union County District Attorney’s Office.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Ryan Rodighiero prosecuted the case for the state. Hamilton was represented by a court-appointed counsel, Clint Flippin, according to Oregon public records.

Officers Ben Johnson and Jamey Carmen responded to Safeway on June 8, 2023, after dispatch received a call about a transient camp near the railroad tracks, according to the probable cause declaration. While searching the area, Carmen noticed two men hiding behind a large electrical box. Carmen recognized Hamilton from a previous incident in 2021 where he threatened a woman with a hatchet and injured her dog, the press release said.

Police found an open folding knife stuck in the ground, along with drug paraphernalia nearby, according to the probable cause declaration. When Carmen told Hamilton that he wanted to pat him down, Hamilton took off his backpack and started going through it. Officers told him to stop, but Hamilton started digging through the pockets of his shorts.

Carmen stopped Hamilton and during the pat down found a bag with fentanyl pills in Hamilton’s pocket, reported the press release. Police advised Hamilton that he was being detained. Hamilton tried to pull free before being taken down to the ground. He continued to struggle and law enforcement called for backup.

Union County Sheriff’s deputy Dale Flowers was the first to arrive and used his Taser on Hamilton to no effect, according to the release. At some point during the struggle, Hamilton got a hold of Carmen’s baton. La Grande Police Sgt. Shaun Gridley and Oregon State Police trooper Kainoa Delatori arrived — the former taking control of Hamilton’s arm with the baton and the latter getting his legs. All five law enforcement officers were eventually able to restrain Hamilton.

A jury returned a guilty verdict in November 2023 for two counts of fourth-degree assault, second-degree disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, the press release reported. The jury did not find Hamilton guilty of assault on a public safety officer. The defense counsel filed a motion to set aside the jury’s verdict for the assault convictions, which the court denied.

Hamilton requested that a judge make a ruling on the enhancement facts filed by the Union County District Attorney’s Office, according to the press release. During the enhancement fact trial earlier in January, Union County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Powers found that Hamilton was persistently involved in similar offenses, on supervision at the time and demonstrated a disregard for both laws and rules.

Powers sentenced Hamilton to 61 months in prison with eligibility for early release. Upon the completion of his sentence, Hamilton will undergo 35 months of post-prison supervision.