Man Assaults 7-11 Employee, Steals Candy (Photo)

WHITE CITY, Ore. – A White City man was jailed this weekend on several charges including robbery. Deputies say Mark Eugene Shepard, 44, assaulted a 7-Eleven employee who confronted him about shoplifting candy, and then fled the scene with the merchandise.

On Thursday, July 12, 2018, at 5:08 p.m. deputies responded to a report of a shoplifting and assault at the 7-Eleven store located at 2410 Antelope Road.  Employees reported a customer tried to “haggle” over the price of a package of gummy bears.  When he wasn’t satisfied with the employee's refusal to lower the price, the customer opened the package and began eating the candy. 

The employee told the customer to either pay for the candy or leave the store without it.  The customer began shouting profanities at the employee.  He “head-butted” the employee in the face and left the store on foot.  

Store managers provided surveillance video of the incident.  Deputies were able to identify the suspect in the video as Shepard, a White City-area transient. 

On Saturday, July 14, at 12:49 a.m., deputies contacted Shepard at a residence in the 2600-block of Falcon Street.  Shepard admitted to being involved in the incident at 7-Eleven.  When deputies took Shephard into custody, they located a pipe with methamphetamine residue on his person. 

Shepard was lodged in the Jackson County Jail on the following charges:  third degree robbery, fourth degree assault, harassment, third degree theft, second degree disorderly conduct, and unlawful possession of methamphetamine.  Shepard was released from jail on July 15 due to capacity restrictions.

Shepard is due to appear in Jackson County Circuit Court on August 15, 2018.  The case will be referred to the district attorney’s office for prosecution.

Case #18-14326 

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