St. Vincent de Paul of Bend is in “total shock” after his leader was arrested and accused of selling meth from his Redmond home

(Update: More on the lawsuits, reaction of the CEO)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Gary Lee Hewitt, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul University in Bend, was arrested Thursday and arraigned Friday on charges of trafficking and possession of methamphetamine. He is accused of selling commercial quantities of the drug from his Redmond home, which is just 1,000 feet from two schools.

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Street Crimes Unit concluded a short-term investigation Thursday with the arrest of Hewitt, 58, of Redmond, said Sergeant Jason Wall.

Investigators found that Hewitt was selling the drug in commercial quantities from his home in southwest Redmond, Wall said, adding that they also learned of Hewitt's role as executive director of the nonprofit St. Vincent De Paul of Bend.

Investigators requested and obtained a search warrant for Hewitt's home. Assisted by investigators from the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team and sheriff's patrol officers, investigators executed the search warrant and found a commercial-grade amount of meth, as well as scales, packaging materials and U.S. currency, Wall said.

Hewitt was booked into the county jail and arraigned Friday afternoon. He was charged with delivery of meth within 1,000 feet of a school, a Class A felony, and possession of “substantial quantities” of the drug, a Class C felony. He was being held Friday night on $250,000 bail, jail records show.

District attorney documents filed by Assistant District Attorney Andrew Doyle state the possession was a “commercial drug offense” because Hewitt possessed cash valued at $300 or more, materials for packaging and selling drugs, and controlled substances in quantities of more than eight grams.

The state also alleges in the meth delivery charge that it involved 100 grams or more of the drug, which prosecutors said could be considered an “excessive amount.”

District Judge Michelle McIver set Hewitt's bail at $250,000 but said he could seek a bond reduction if circumstances did not change. She also listed several conditions for release, including no contact with minors and no presence where minors reside, as well as similar restrictions on controlled substances.

She scheduled Hewitt's return to court in a week for arraignment due to an expected grand jury indictment.

According to court records, Hewitt was charged in February and is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on September 3 to failure to report a sex offender.

They also show that Hewitt was arrested in 2011 on 10 counts of first-degree child sexual abuse, pleaded guilty to two counts and was sentenced to 30 months in prison with 10 years' probation. In 2009, he also pleaded guilty on conditional grounds to meth possession and second-degree theft.

Patty Christopher, board chair of St. Vincent de Paul of Bend, told NewsChannel 21 on Friday, “This news came as a complete shock to the members of our board and our entire organization.”

Christopher declined to comment on the allegations at this time, but added: “We currently have a dedicated board of directors and other qualified staff. We will continue to provide the best services to our customers. Our regular opening hours remain in effect.”

A viewer shared with NewsChannel 21 on Friday an email response he received from Christopher in May 2021 when he asked the national organization about the Bend executive director's criminal record for soliciting child sexual abuse.

In her 2021 statement, Bend's CEO said, “Gary Hewitt made us aware of his beliefs and past from the very beginning” when he began working there as pantry manager six years ago.

“He was such an outstanding employee that it was an easy decision to promote him to director,” Christopher wrote.

She also spoke about “the measures we have taken to protect children. Since he began his employment six years ago, we have worked with Gary's probation officer and developed a plan to ensure that Gary does not have to interact with children at any time.”

“St. Vincent de Paul is all about promoting second chances, redemption and forgiveness,” Christopher wrote at the time. “It seemed natural to extend the same blessing to Gary.”

When asked about those comments on Friday, Christopher said, “Until I heard today's news, I would have said Gary was a true redemption story. He was a dedicated employee for nine years.

“He was the one who helped us develop St. Vincent's Place, our high-barrier emergency shelter for the homeless,” she said. “He put his heart and soul into helping our clients in any way he could.”