11/14/2025 - LCSO Case 25-5238 Lane County Sheriff’s detectives arrest Eugene man during Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigation, evacuate apartment due to unrelated fire On November 14th at about 9 a.m., a Lane County Sheriff’s detective was conducting surveillance for a search warrant at an apartment complex in the 1400 block of Bailey Hill Road, Eugene. The detective observed a fire in a first-floor apartment unit that quickly grew in size, breaking out an exterior window. The detective notified Dispatch and evacuated residents in the adjacent apartment units, preventing any injuries. Eugene Springfield Fire responded and extinguished the blaze. Additional detectives responded and served the planned search warrant at an apartment in the same complex, unrelated to the fire. The suspect, James Michael Minton, 27, of Eugene, was contacted and arrested. Minton was lodged at the Lane County Jail on 3 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree and 3 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree. This search warrant stemmed from an investigation by the Lane County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, focusing on child exploitation. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office received assistance during this investigation from the Oregon Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. This arrest is part of an ongoing effort by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable members of our community. The investigation is ongoing, and no further details are available at this time. The cause of the unrelated fire is under investigation by Eugene Springfield Fire and the Eugene Police Department.