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Man files tort claim after JACNET enters daughter's home By DANI DODGE A man who claims the Jackson County Narcotics Enforcement Team illegally entered his daughter's house and unnecessarily tore the doors off his rental home has filed a tort claim against the county. "I think what they do is necessary and needs to continue, but I believe JACNET is out of control," Fred Ganger told Jackson County commissioners in February, shortly after the incident. After Ganger complained to commissioners, the sheriff's office investigated the Feb. 7 drug bust at 975 Dahlia Terrace, Eagle Point. "Our conclusion was that JACNET did absolutely nothing inappropriately," said Jackson County Sheriff Bob Kennedy, "and that everything they did was within policy and within Oregon law and within the restrictions the courts have established for us in terms of search and seizure." JACNET commander Lt. Jim Anderson was not present during the bust but reviewed the actions. "There was a search warrant for the residence. ... A meth lab was discovered, and there were children in the house," Anderson said. "It was a bad situation. We seized a lab, and two suspects were charged with a number of crimes, including having children in the house with a meth lab." Bradley Wayne Keever, 30, of 975 Dahlia Terrace, and Pamela Lee Armstrong, 26, of 2333 Jubilant Ave., Medford, were arrested and charged with manufacturing and possession of methamphetamine, child neglect and child endangerment. They are scheduled to go to trial June 12. Ganger's daughter, Rebekah Ganger, 19, lived in a converted garage a few feet from the mobile home where the meth lab was found. Fred Ganger owns the property. When officers went to the mobile home, the person inside would not answer the door and they broke it down, Anderson said. Then the suspect fled out the back, breaking that door. After the suspect fled, Rebekah Ganger asked officers to search her home for the missing man, Anderson said. "She was very cooperative and actually took care of the suspect's children until (social service workers) went out there," Anderson said. But Rebekah Ganger said officers told her they had a search warrant and that's why she let them in. She denies inviting them. She said her home was separate from the mobile home. Her home's address was 9751/2. "I heard them talking about it by my door - they were looking for a guy, they thought he might be in my house," she said this week. "I opened my door to see if I could help with anything. They pointed guns at me and told me to get down on the ground and not move and five or six cops came in and searched. "I was pretty cooperative because I was scared of them." Kennedy said it was the decision of JACNET not to pay for the doors. "The renter is responsible, not JACNET," Kennedy said. "This is a nuisance suit." Anderson noted: "JACNET has not had a lawsuit filed against it in the time I've been in charge." He said he suspects that Ganger is simply "seizing the moment." Anderson recently was cleared of criminal wrongdoing in an April 2 shooting incident, but results of an internal investigation and an outside review are not yet complete. Fred and Rebekah Ganger's tort claim, filed April 19, asks for damages to the home as well as compensation for causing Rebekah Ganger "extreme emotional distress." Rebekah Ganger said she and her father haven't yet determined the amount of damages they are seeking. The Gangers' attorney, Doug Gard, said he would give the county time to investigate the tort claim before he files a formal lawsuit. County Counsel Mike Jewett said the county is the target of about 100 tort claims a year. They are forwarded to the county's risk management department. He said he didn't know much about the Gangers' claim. "I know Mr. Ganger came and spoke to the board about a month or two months ago and is angry at JACNET, but that's all I know," Jewett said. Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.