PORTLAND, OR -- More than a dozen Oregonians were honored by the FBI in a special ceremony on Friday. The FBI’s Portland Field Office recognized 10 Assistant U.S. Attorneys for their help on a number of high-profile investigations, including the case against Denis Dubnikov, accused of laundering the proceeds of ransomware attacks. "Thanks to AUSAs Harrington and Narus, Dubnikov was arrested in Amsterdam and then successfully extradited by FBI Portland Division agents to the United States, in August of 2022," Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matt Schlegel told ceremony attendees. 

Another AUSA was honored for helping catch an alleged sex abuser - a long-haul trucker accused of kidnapping a Canadian girl earlier this year. She was found in Oregon City. U.S. Attorney for Oregon Natalie Wight tells KBND News this is "business as usual" for her office, "This is what we do every day, and so it was really nice. I think we’ve really struggled a lot and had a lot of obstacles in the last few years. So, for us to come together, between the FBI and our office, and just say ‘we appreciate you,’ I think that means a lot."

Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell was also honored Friday. He received the National Law Enforcement Ethics Award, of which only a few are awarded each year. "If you’re desiring to be a Police Chief, you want it to be in a time with great staffing and great budgets and you can bring on new, innovative programs and do all kinds of great things," Chief Lovell tells KBND News, "And the last two-and-a-half years have really been about focusing on gun violence and shootings, and protests and riots and things of that nature. Just to have someone recognize you and say, ‘Hey, you’ve been doing a job in a way we think is honorable,’ it just means the world to me." 
The FBI says partnerships with local law enforcement and other federal agencies are critical to their work.