HILLSBORO, Ore. — A Washington County man has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison after being convicted of multiple robbery and theft charges stemming from a series of armed robberies targeting Asian-owned massage businesses in Tigard and Tualatin.
On May 7, 2026, Washington County Circuit Court Judge Janelle Wipper found Jose Manuel Escobar De Loera guilty in a bench trial of two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree theft, and one count of second-degree theft. Judge Wipper later sentenced Escobar De Loera to 135 months in prison.
Deputy District Attorneys Carlos Catibayan and Nolan Hill prosecuted the case.
According to court records, Escobar De Loera was part of a group responsible for a series of coordinated armed robberies that occurred in December 2025. Investigators determined that on Dec. 13, 2025, the defendant carried out planned robberies at two massage businesses in Tigard. Authorities said he first searched for and mapped the businesses before entering as a customer to gain access.
Once inside, accomplices wearing masks and carrying weapons entered the businesses, threatened employees, and stole cash and cell phones before fleeing.
Three days later, on Dec. 16, 2025, Escobar De Loera and his accomplices attempted a similar robbery at a massage business in Tualatin. During the incident, employees were able to escape and flag down a passing motorist for assistance.
The driver intervened and helped apprehend Escobar De Loera. Investigators said he was found carrying the business’s security box and was later seen discarding stolen cash and phones into a nearby creek.
Law enforcement officials used cellphone records to track the defendant’s movements and demonstrate that he had searched for and traveled to all three targeted locations. Prosecutors relied on phone data, surveillance footage, and victim testimony to identify Escobar De Loera as a participant in the crimes.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office praised the investigative work of the Tigard and Tualatin police departments, as well as the courage displayed by the victims throughout the case.
Escobar De Loera will be transferred to the custody of the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.
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