Theft of comics a ‘complex case’
Charges against an Aumsville man accused of stealing more than $300,000 from comic book collectors may take as long as two years to go to trial in the “complex case.”
Michael David DeChellis, 57, is facing 17 felony counts of theft for an alleged years-long scheme of stealing high-value comics belonging to clients who hired him to restore the collectibles.
According to authorities, alleged victims from across the U.S. mailed DeChellis comics and paid a restoration fee through his Lebanon-based business Hero Restoration Comics. The collectibles were allegedly never returned nor the fees refunded, and after closing the business in 2023 DeChellis allegedly sold or attempted to sell multiple comics in question.
DeChellis was arrested Aug. 14. At that time 12 victims were named in charging documents in Linn County Circuit Court. An indictment filed Sept. 18 named five additional victims with allegations as far back as 2017.
Because of the number of alleged victims and the time span, defense attorney Arnold Poole filed a motion Aug. 29 for “complex case” designation. Poole said he had so far received 5,000 pages of discovery and he may need to hire a data expert to evaluate all the evidence.
The motion was granted by Judge Thomas McHill. According to Oregon Uniform Trial Court Rules, a complex case foregos normal deadlines for trial and other procedures. It allows up to two years before trial must be held.
$86K restitution sought for elder theft
On Sept. 24, a motion was filed in Linn County Circuit Court seeking $86,199 in restitution for the victims of Trina Renee Geddes, 61, now of Milwaukie. A former Lyons resident, Geddes pleaded guilty Aug. 9 to two counts of aggravated first-degree theft and one count of ID theft. She was sentenced to 16 months in prison and three years of post-prison supervision for stealing from her elderly in-laws.
She was charged April 2 for using the personal information of her husband’s parents to steal cash and make personal purchases between September 2020 and February 2023. At the time Geddes was living with the victims, both in their 80s, at their home in Lyons and acting as their caregiver.
Rape charge dismissed
Rape allegations against a Mehama man have been dismissed at the request of prosecutors after the defendant was charged earlier in September. On Sept. 17, Marion County Circuit Court Judge Jodie Bureta approved the dismissal of a charge of first-degree rape against Robert Adam Neuman, 47.
Prosecutors filed a motion that day asking for the case to be dismissed “in the interest of justice.” A related probation violation was also dismissed in a separate case involving an illegal weapon conviction.
Neuman was scheduled to be arraigned in the rape case Sept. 18 and court records indicated prosecutors were unable to secure an indictment beforehand. He was arrested Sept. 8 after being accused of allegedly forcing himself on a woman Aug. 16.
An unrelated charge of improper use of an emergency reporting system remains pending and Neuman is scheduled to enter a plea to the charge Oct. 2. He is accused of using the 911 system for purposes other than an emergency on Feb. 10.
