Project Safe Neighborhoods

EUGENE, OREGON -- MICHAEL DEAN GALLOWAY, 52, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Michael R. Hogan to 235 months in prison. In addition, GALLOWAY’s sentence includes a five-year term of supervised release.

GALLOWAY will commence serving his term of imprisonment after he completes his Oregon sentences for Burglary, Theft, Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver at the Scene of an Injury Accident, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Attempting to Elude Police, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of a Restricted Weapon.

On January 14, 2004, GALLOWAY was driving a stolen car when he struck and seriously injured a female highway worker in a work zone in Tillamook County, Oregon. A high speed chase ensued when he failed to stop after striking the worker. He successfully eluded deputy sheriffs and state police after abandoning the stolen car on a logging road. Inside the stolen car was a sawed-off 12 gauge shotgun, which was also stolen, and ten shotgun shells along with illicit drug paraphernalia. The shotgun had been stolen from a parked pickup truck in Lincoln City, Oregon in late December 2003 by another individual and had been obtained by GALLOWAY with the promise of paying with methamphetamine. According to a female methamphetamine drug dealer working for GALLOWAY in Lincoln City, he had cut off the shotgun’s barrel. When the thief sought payment for the shotgun, GALLOWAY used the gun to assault and threaten him.

On January 15, 2004, GALLOWAY was arrested by deputies in Tillamook County in response to a citizen’s complaint that GALLOWAY had been in his garage and had stolen his car. Inside that stolen vehicle police found handcuffs and pepper spray.

On September 29, 2005, GALLOWAY pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Because he had been convicted of more than 22 felonies in the past 26 years, including Attempted Murder, Burglary in the First Degree and Burglary in the Second Degree, his illegal possession of a short-barreled shotgun and ammunition classified him as an armed career criminal. Under federal law, this mandated a minimum 15-year sentence.

In 1991, GALLOWAY was convicted of the attempted murder of a Marion County deputy district attorney. Before committing this crime, he had six convictions for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. He has also been convicted of felonies committed in Douglas, Marion, Clackamas, Multnomah, Lincoln and Tillamook counties.

While on the State of Oregon’s post-prison supervision, in less than two years, GALLOWAY committed five felonies and four misdemeanors.

Bernice Barnett, District Attorney for Lincoln County, and William Porter, District Attorney for Tillamook County, referred this matter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (BATF) for further investigation. The Oregon State Police, Lincoln City Police Department, and Tillamook Sheriff’s Office assisted BATF in this investigation.

For additional information, please contact Public Information Officer Diane Peterson at 503-727-1066 or Assistant United States Attorney Frank Papagni at 541-465-6627.

All media inquiries about Project Safe Neighborhoods in Oregon should be directed to:

Fred Weinhouse
Assistant U.S. Attorney
U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon
503-727-1000
E-mail: Fred Weinhouse