5 people arrested for drug smuggling conspiracy in Multnomah County Jail

Multnomah County Jail Cell Block (KOIN)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Five people are on trial for allegedly conspiring to smuggle drugs into the Multnomah County Detention Center, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday.

As of December 2023, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office reported to MCSO that an incarcerated man, 30-year-old Levi Denison, was allegedly involved in “suspicious activity.”

According to MCSO, investigators then monitored Denison’s phone conversations and found that he was communicating with another incarcerated adult – identified by police as 33-year-old Shawn Mastne – and people outside the prison, planning to smuggle drugs into the prison, including methamphetamine, heroin and buprenorphine.

The people outside the prison were identified as Rain Vaday, 26, Shelby Steelman, 27, and Danielle Young, 44.

On March 14, Denison, Vaday, Mastne, Steelman and Young were charged with, among other things, conspiracy to smuggle and conspiracy to illicitly traffic in controlled substances.

Mastne also faces charges in connection with another drug smuggling attempt into the prison last year, during which officers allegedly found more than an ounce of methamphetamine on him. He was charged in early February.

Authorities said they would not release the current indictment until all suspects were found and arrested.