Ore. woman charged with theft in custody battle over dog
PORTLAND, Ore. -- A woman who wouldn't give up her dog to its original owner earlier this month is facing theft charges after refusing to return the dog.
Jordan Biggs was arrested and charged with first-degree theft Friday in Corvallis. Police seized the dog "Bear" who was with Biggs at the time of the arrest, her attorney Geordie Duckler said. Police also threatened to return the dog to its original owner Sam Hanson-Fleming, who is now under investigation for animal abuse and neglect by the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.
The charge stems from a bizarre turn of events. Hanson-Fleming lost his dog and then more than a year later found it with a new owner -- Biggs. However, Biggs refused to return the dog, who Hanson-Fleming had named "Chase." Hanson-Fleming said he loves the dog and wants him back, but Biggs, a student from Portland and who is studying in Corvallis, says the dog is now hers. She has named the dog Bear and she's filed a lawsuit to keep him.
Earlier this month, the decision of who rightfully owns the dog went to the Multnomah County Animal Services director, Mike Oswald. He asked for evidence from both sides and then made his ruling.
"Based upon all that I had, it appeared that the dog, Chase, is really owned by Mr. Hanson-Fleming," he said.
But Hanson-Fleming said Biggs still wouldn't give him back the dog even after the ruling and said Biggs filed suit in court, demanding that she keep the dog.
Hanson-Fleming, who has been convicted of three felonies in Oregon (two for drug-related crimes in 2000 and one for criminal mischief in 2003), is now being investigated on allegations that he hit, kicked, bit and urinated on the dog. The investigation also alleges the dog was kept in a filthy environment with feces and urine.
Just to share some additional info. I saw multiple, threatening, abusive, foul language messeges on another board that were put there by Hanson-Flemming and directed toward Biggs. He signed on using "biggsisaCynt". I was afraid to post there at all as the messeges were so threatening and just plain scary. Yes, he's mad, but these were abusive. I worked in social services with a "high risk" population in the past. High risk is drugs, alchohol, neglect, abuse, domestic violence...that sort of thing. I care about people and animals, I care about helping people, I know well what it looks like. I'm not saying I know there is this sort of thing going on in Hanson-Flemming's world, I don't at all. I will say; that when I saw the pics. he had shared from his "lost dog" posters there were several flags to me. The unspayed/ neutered dogs, dirt and disorder of a high degree , rough handling of the dog in one pic- check them out and look at the background. Before the latest news of possible abuse and neglect of the dog I wondered about these things. I don't think it's relevent that he had criminal convictions in the past, but I'm not suprised, nor am I suprised he's being investigated for animal abuse and neglect. I hope that in time all the information available will be put to use and a decision will be made that is in the best interest of the dog.  By the way; there are a lot of really well cared for dogs of homeless people, being outside typical social confines does not mean an abused animal.  Â
 @Elise Willingham I saw those posts and deleted them as abusive. I have good reason to believe they were not posted at all by Mr. Hanson Fleming, but by someone in the biggs camp, making it look as though they were written by Mr. Hanson.
 @Elise Willingham So then, Elise, you work in IT? You have access to see the registration details behind each login, and you have the ability to trace not only visiting ips but logged in ips as well? Not only that, but you can prove that the information you have is linkable directly to Mr. Hansen-Fleming? You must have, otherwise you wouldn't really be making such libelous remarks as "I saw multiple, threatening, abusive, foul language messages on another board that were put there by Hanson-Flemming and directed toward Biggs. He signed on using "biggsisaCynt" " now would you. BTW, I feel I should tell you that there are those who actually are capable of just such traces and have in fact already copied your post for possible future legal review. Kind of makes you want to remember that everything you type online is "forever", now doesn't it.
Like I said in an earlier post, "Who is the best fit parent for ths dog?" Feeding? Picking up excrements? Training? Disciplining? Insurance? Doctor? Etc. #$@ to the idiots who let their hearts rule their judgment. To this day, I still haven't pick sides.
I would probably have tried to use the cash needed to go to court to make him a cash offer to buy the dog. He might have taken it and saved everyone a lot of trouble.Â
This story is obvioiusly written to slander Hansen-Fleming. It's leaving out all the facts of the case. The fact that he has 3 felony's is irrellavant. He is 30 now, so his crimes were committed when he was 17/18, probably still in high school, he's an adult now and has been clean most of his adult life, put your nooses away folks, your letting the media control you! Plus, last I checked felon's can have pets. As far as the animal abuse goes, I'm willing to bet some fruit raised erroneous charges after the last story was posted. As much effort has he made to get his dog back I really doubt he was an abusive owner. Bigg's made no effort to return the dog, threw away the colar that had Hansen-Fleming's contact info, and continually defied rulings in his favor. She deserves what she gets, now she get's to be labelled as a criminal too!
 PS I'm tired of hearing this BS so let me lay it out DOGS DON'T RUN AWAY FROM ABUSE, they aren't people, and even then PEOPLE RARELY RUN FROM ABUSE, it's sad but true!!! Truth be told, dogs jump fences or take off out the front door, almost every dog I have ever met does that, they almost always come home on their own!
 @Harundar I don't know anything about either of the people or what the real stories are, but I can tell you that having grown up with and trained and studied dogs my whole life I can verify that you are right, dogs are extremely loyal and do not run away from people who are abusing them. They, like many young children, just think it's their fault and continue to take it. It's very sad. As for "running away" - a lot of dogs like to wander, or they get loose and get scared by something and just run and then realize too late they are lost. There are many good and loving families whose dogs have gotten lost. Once again - I'm not taking sides because I don't know either party here - but I am going to chime in that the whole "running away means a bad home" myth is not true.
 @Harundar I don't know whether the charges are true, but you are spot on about dogs getting out and going on adventures, it is in their nature.
The silly things Oregonians spend their money on. Can't she just offer him a bag of coastal-grown weed and they call it good? (Before I get a lot of thumbs-down, I did grow up in Oregon, and claim the right to make as much fun of Oregonians as I want)!
previous story says the dog leaped it's fence - makes me wonder if he was trying to escape cruel treatment ?? leave him with the young lady.
Interesting timing on the disclosure of alleged abuse . . . I wonder how Bear will react when reunited with his owner . . . also, I wonder if the owner has any other pets and if so, how they're being treated.
This is really disturbing! I am totally against the judge on this, the dogs should stay with Ms. Biggs, because she loves and cares for them. If the "owner" and I use the term loosely, hurts the dog, I hope that he ends up back in court and gets jail time.
Sure liberal judge,just give him back to the original owner,give him a chance to catch up on some beating and starving time.Its only a dog.Looks pretty healthy now but that can be fixed.Remember,Do whats legal not whats moral.Sam Flemmings rights must be protected above everyone elses.
Why don't you take a breather with your efforts to bring politics into every damn event that arises? It's quite frankly boring and trite.
@fyrefawx so are you ...whats your point?Its election year and time for a change,over 30 years of democrat rule needs to come to an end.Sorry to bore you but everythings about politics now.
@fyrefawx change is coming,and I don't mean Obummers false hope.enjoy it untill november.It took democrats 34 years to get this state where it is today,we've had enough.
 @toadaway  @fyrefawx The republicons and their corporate policies have been destroying this country since raygun....now their interest in my vagina seems to be more important than anything else....THAT'S the kind of mind you want running the country?  I don't think so. Tpublicons are out. For good.
Leave Bear where he is. The previous "owner" doesn't appear to have made any prior efforts to locate a lost pet and doesn't sound like anyone I'd care to turn a dog over to. Or any other animal.
 @Ben Ezzell He did make every effort to locate the dog. The female who found him apparently made no effort to find the true owner. The dog also had tags on which the female ignored.
Good news! Very glad to hear this!
Good greif...
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"Hanson-Fleming, who has been convicted of three felonies in Oregon (two for drug-related crimes in 2000 and one for criminal mischief in 2003), is now being investigated on allegations that he hit, kicked, bit and urinated on the dog. The investigation also alleges the dog was kept in a filthy environment with feces and urine
Does the original owner have other pets? If so, they should be checked on to see how the conditions are now. Doing this may put some issues to rest.
Great idea.
What a bizarre twist on this story. But it's not her dog. She didn't do enough to find the dog's rightful owner. (She didn't contact the two largest shelters in the area.)
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Given the new revelations I'm not sure Hanson-Fleming deserves the dog either.
 @Chico They are not revelations, they are allegations.
 @Chico Previous story stated that the young woman posted flyers for an amount of time around the neighborhood she found the dog. You would think the previous owner would have seen big 8x11 print flyers with his dogs photo saying "FOUND". As I understand it, she did everything short of calling the county humane society before accepting the dog as hers.
 @DarkRenegade My understanding is that she did not post any flyers. She ignored the tags on the dog, and did not contact animal control or check Craigs List for a missing dog report. Had she done these things, she would have found the true owner.
 @morningglory Please read Paragraph 8 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/162308236.html
@Chico If the revelations are true.
 @Chico I am wondering if this new information is being brought up just to find a way for the girl to keep the dog? Why is this coming out now that the ruling's been done? (Admittedly I have no knowledge of when this information was available.) Who got this information - was it the girl in an effort to keep the dog?
 @DMT  Girls attorney hired a PI who dug up all these so called animal abuse allegations. ...... not reported to the police, animal control...the DA but miraculously called into the attorney of the girl who stole the dog.   Information the attorney released to the press before the DA even started investigating the day after Hanson turned down a $1000 dollar bribe from the PI............. Unless there is video and pics I amm calling BS on the abuse allegations.  Just a smear job by the girls attorney
 @DMT I'm wondering where they got this information. Who knows if it's true. If it is then I hope they find him a good clean, honest home.
 @Elise Willingham    Abuse allegations are from Biggs attorney the day after his PI failed to bribe Hanson.... the same PI who dug up these so called abuse allegations.    Just goes to show what kind of person Biggs is. Girl probably stole the dog right from Hansons yard.   After all she admited to finding the dog less the a block from Hansons house the same day it went missing with tags but claims those tags were from someone else the day before.... before the dog was missing.      Your reacting exactly as Biggs attorney is hoping.
@super @DMT Bear already has one. I found a dog and did "all the right things" calling the pound before really assessing the animal. It had fleas (not a few- a horrendous infestation) and ear mites and was filthy. I had it over a weekend and cleaned it up. I realized too late it was in neglected condition. Even when I saw that the "owners" were neglectful people, essentially low functioning, ingnorant to the needs of animals- people who had found the dog themselves. I gave the dog back and had the opportunity to see the dog tied to a tree rain or shine for two years until I moved away. I checked often as I vowed if I found it loose again, I'd keep it. I don't blame Biggs for her choices. If I found a neglected, loose animal again, I would not contact any agencies, whether there was a collar or not. Yes, breaking the law, but in my opinion there is another law called morals. One should not return a living being to neglect.Â
 @Chico If the charges of animal abuse are proven to be true, I think she should be allowed to keep the dog. If in fact he is guilty of the allegations that he hit, kicked, bit, urinated on the dog and kept the dog in a filthy environment with feces and urine, then he certainly doesn't deserve to have any pet.
Wonder who made the allegations....the girl who stole the dog or maybe a friend of hers? Hopefully the accusations are unfounded and he will get the dog back.
 @Amandab Its called a private investigator, their job (if one was involved) is to find out as much of the opposing side. Then again with the access on the internet, anyone with the dogs interest at heart may have sought out the information themselves to turn it over to the decision maker in the case.
 @DarkRenegade I'd be really surprised if the girl had so much money that she could hire a fancy defense attorney and private investigators. If that were the case, why didn't she take those thousands of dollars and offer it to him for the dog and saved herself all the trouble of getting arrested for theft? And if he were abusing the dog, why didn't she go to the police BEFORE all the court stuff started? I've volunteered with animal rescues for years and the right way is to take action through animal control who will investigate, then if the allegations are true they legally remove the animal and then the girl could've stepped up and taken in the dog. You don't just steal someone's dog and then when you get caught cry animal abuse - whether it's true or not. No one is helped that way and it's just more B.S. to clog up our legal system.
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 @Julia Exactly. She did not follow proper procedure to find the owner. Or, if there were concerns about the dog's care to make them known. My understanding is that these allegations were made by former friends of Mr. Hanson, only after this all hit the news. If these former friends were concerned, why did they not notify Animal Control 2 yrs ago.
 @Amandab The part about the past felonies has to be true.
@Chico @Amandab I meant the allegation of cruelty to the dog....seems quite a coincidence that someone is accusing him of abusing the dog now.
 @Waif Exactly!!! There's something about this story that just doesn't pass the sniff test. Why are we just now hearing about these allegations? If they can't produce paperwork to prove these allegations were previously lodged then I say give the dog back to it's original owner.
I agree. It would be different if there had been charges filed before now.
 @Chico I don't think charges from 10 years ago should have any relevance to this case.