Baker City contractor arrested on child sexual abuse charges, sheriff says

A Baker City contractor, Eric Vincent Swanlund, 43, was jailed April 23 after investigators said a child sexual abuse case had stretched on for nearly two years and may involve additional victims. The Baker County Sheriff’s Office said the victim knew Swanlund personally.

Detectives began the case in March after a report of child sexual abuse. Investigators said the abuse was not reported when it was happening. Deputies contacted Swanlund during a traffic stop on Highway 86, then served a search warrant at his home on Failing Avenue in Baker City before transporting him to the Baker County Jail. The case was worked with help from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Baker City Police Department.

Swanlund faces 33 charges, including 10 counts of third-degree rape, 10 counts of third-degree sexual abuse, 10 counts of third-degree sodomy, strangulation, online sexual corruption of a child in the second degree, and coercion. Law enforcement also said Swanlund had been involved in several local volunteer organizations, a detail that is likely to deepen concern in Baker County because it raises questions about trust, access, and how much exposure he may have had to children and families in public-facing settings. The charges are allegations, and they will move through court proceedings before any finding of guilt.

Investigators said they are worried there could be more victims and asked anyone with information to contact Baker County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch. That warning matters beyond the criminal case itself, because detectives may still need to identify other children, family members, coworkers, or organizations that had contact with Swanlund while the allegations were unfolding.

Anyone in Oregon who suspects a child is being abused can call the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at 855-503-SAFE, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. Victims of crime can also seek help through their county district attorney’s victim advocates, and the Oregon Department of Corrections maintains a victim-services directory and post-conviction support resources for victims and survivors.