Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
FBI agents have returned Leland Patrick Harper, age 60, to Portland to face multiple sex abuse charges in Multnomah County Circuit Court. The agents flew to Portugal over the weekend and returned with Harper late on Wednesday, October 13th.
This case, investigated by a Portland Police Detective on the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, is being prosecuted at the state level. A Multnomah County grand jury indicted Harper in January 2021 on the following charges:
- Using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct—16 counts
- Sex abuse (first degree)—23 counts
- Unlawful sexual penetration (first degree)—3 counts
- Sodomy (first degree)—2 counts
- Luring a minor—14 counts
- Encouraging child sex abuse (first degree)—1 count
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided invaluable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Harper to the United States. With DOJ’s assistance, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Madrid coordinated with FBI Portland, the Department of State’s U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, the Portuguese Policia Juidiciaria, and the Portuguese Polícia de Segurança Pública to facilitate Harper’s extradition. Portuguese officials arrested Harper on a provisional arrest warrant on August 25, 2021. Following extradition proceedings, the local authorities released Harper to the FBI this week for transport back to Portland.
Harper was arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Thursday, October 14, 2021. He remains in jail on bail set at more than $11 million.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
For further details on this case, please contact the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.