Defense Seeks to Suppress Evidence in Baker City Meth Case Against 71-Year-Old

The Portland attorney representing William Donald Hansen, a 71-year-old Baker City man accused of selling methamphetamine, filed motions in Baker County Circuit Court asking a judge to suppress evidence seized during a search of Hansen's home and to block statements that two co-defendants gave to police from being used at trial.

Hansen was arrested August 22, 2025, in Las Vegas after a Baker County grand jury indicted him on one count of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine, a Class B felony, and one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class C felony. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

He was released from Baker County Jail on September 26, 2025, after posting $7,500, which represented 10 percent of his $75,000 bail. That release proved short-lived. On November 17, the Baker County district attorney's office filed a notice alleging Hansen had violated his release agreement by failing to check in daily at the parole and probation office. Two days later, Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Spaulding filed a motion to revoke the release agreement.

Judge Matt Shirtcliff of Baker County Circuit Court issued a bench warrant, and Baker City Police arrested Hansen on November 20 at his home. Shirtcliff subsequently set bail at $400,000. On December 1, Russell filed a separate motion arguing that the $400,000 figure was unconstitutional.

The suppression motions filed by Russell target two distinct categories of evidence: material collected during the warrant-authorized search of Hansen's home, and interviews that two other suspects in the same investigation gave to police. If Judge Shirtcliff grants the motions, prosecutors would be barred from presenting that evidence at trial. No ruling on the motions had been reported as of Thursday.