Man Accused of Stalking Police Released to House Arrest

The man arrested earlier this month with an arsenal of weapons in his vehicle and accused of stalking Portland Police for months can be released to house arrest.

That was the ruling of Multnomah County Judge Eric Bloch after a two-day bail hearing requested by Eric Eugene Crowl, a 39-year-old IT specialist.

Prosecutors disclosed that they had been unable to access Crowl's computers, which are encrypted. Crowl chose not to turn over passwords.

Judge Bloch said that as part of Crowl's release, while he will be allowed to use a computer, he is forbidden from using the internet.

Prosecutors expressed the concern if granted internet access, Crowl would have been able to tamper with evidence.

Crowl, who does not have a criminal record, has pleaded not guilty to charges including unlawful possession of a firearm.

He had been held on $1 million bail.

Crowl was arrested on August 7th, just blocks from the Portland Police Bureau's East Precinct. Police seized numerous weapons from his vehicle..

Police said that they first became aware of Crowl in April when he was noticed parked outside of the precinct in a gray Chevrolet Tahoe. They observed him filming officers coming and going and seemed to be paying particular interest during shift changes.

During one traffic stop, officers noted that Crowl had a police scanner and was a "self-described Constitutionalist."

He was then spotted outside the precinct again a couple of weeks later - once again filming officers, according to the district attorney's office.

When officers approached him a couple of blocks away, they asked why he was following officers. He started recording them with his cell phone and informed them that he had sent a letter to the police bureau letting them know of his intention to film and watch officers at the precinct.

In June, he was visited at his home by members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. He told them that he wanted to hold law enforcement accountable and that he had had negative encounters with different law enforcement agencies.

He said that he didn't want to harm anyone, just help identify bad officers.

On Sunday afternoon, a sergeant saw that Crowl was once again parked across from the precinct. He radioed in, requesting Crowl be approached by on-duty officers.

Moments later, Crowl drove off, in the opinion of the sergeant, in the manner of someone who had been monitoring a police frequency over the scanner.

Crowl was soon stopped by traffic officers who did not notice any firearms in his car.

Later Sunday — around 9:30 that night — he was spotted across the street, once again appearing to conduct surveillance during shift change.

Police say that due to heightened concerns about police ambush attacks after the recent incidents in Dallas, Texas, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, officers contacted Crowl, concerned about his actions.

As officers approached Crowl, ordering him to keep his hands up, he would raise and lower his hands and appeared to be reaching around inside his vehicle.

Police say that officers were able to get Crowl to exit the vehicle and pat him down for weapons. Finding none, officers turned their attention to his vehicle.

Officers then looked through the rear window of the Tahoe and could see an arsenal of weapons and ammunition. After the vehicle was completely searched, officers seized the following items from the Tahoe:

- 5.56 rifle

- 12 gauge shotgun

- 9 mm handguns (2)

- 100 round 5.56 magazine drum (loaded)

- Hundreds of 5.56 and 9 mm rounds of ammunition

- 5.56 tracer rounds

- One black hooded facemask

- One camo gun case

- Handheld radios

- Police scanner

- Camouflage clothing

- Various camping gear including sleeping bag, food, camping stove and lantern.

East Precinct officers called for the Portland Police Bureau's Gun Task Force to assist with the investigation. Gun Task Force officers, working closely with the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, prepared a search warrant for Crowl's residence at 14745 Southeast Rhone St.

After obtaining a signed warrant, members of the Portland Police Bureau's Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) served the search warrant at Crowl's residence.

Investigators searching the home seized eight additional rifles, a shotgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.