A federal jury in Portland, Oregon, has found Brandon Charles Nelson, 40, guilty of escape after he failed to report to the Northwest Regional Re-entry Center (NWRRC) as required.
Court documents show that Nelson was previously convicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He received a sentence of 36 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. After violating his release conditions for the third time, Nelson's supervision was revoked on February 25, 2025. He was then sentenced to an additional 12 months in prison and 18 months of supervised release.
While held at Victorville Federal Corrections Institute (FCI), Nelson became eligible for placement in a residential re-entry center and was referred to NWRRC. He received approval to travel unescorted and had to report by November 20, 2025. However, Nelson did not report as instructed. The Victorville FCI notified the United States Marshals Service (USMS) on November 21, 2025, that Nelson had escaped. USMS arrested him on December 5, 2025.
On December 16, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Nelson for escape from custody.
Nelson now faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for June 8, 2026 before a U.S. District Court judge.
The case was investigated by the USMS and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin Heinz.
The office responsible for this prosecution is one of the nation’s ninety-three offices under the U.S. Department of Justice according to official information. The current U.S. Attorney has held several roles including Chief of the White Collar Unit and Acting Chief of Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The District operates offices in Portland, Eugene and Medford as noted on their website, employs over one hundred staff members according to public records, and engages with communities throughout Oregon to address crime prevention. Its mission includes representing the United States in legal matters while fostering trust in the judicial system as described officially.
