The Oregon Department of Justice is evaluating allegations of criminal activity by St. Helens Mayor Jennifer Massey and former Police Chief Brian Greenway.

Weeks after the city’s interim police chief filed a lawsuit against Massey, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a citizen accusing Massey of corruption and alleging that she and Greenway colluded to withhold 24/7 police coverage in order to boost Massey’s mayoral campaign.

“After conducting an assessment of the complaint, myself and the district attorney have determined that an external perspective is necessary to ensure an unbiased evaluation,” Sheriff Brian Pixley said. “As such, we have referred the entire case to the Oregon Department of Justice for their independent and impartial review.”

The case was referred to the DOJ on April 8, a spokesperson for the agency confirmed.

However, the referral doesn’t mean the mayor is under investigation or that an investigation will be initiated at all.

The DOJ will review the complaint along with any supporting information or material to determine if there is sufficient factual and legal basis to merit a criminal investigation.

“In some instances, we determine that another agency, such as the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, would be better suited to address the complaint,” the spokesperson said.

This is not the first time the sheriff’s office has referred a case to the agency, Pixley said. In 2024, the sheriff’s office requested a full review of the 2019 case involving the death of Sarah Zuber, which Zuber’s mother publicly accused Pixley of mishandling during his reelection race against St. Helens Police Officer Terry Massey, Mayor Jennifer Massey’s husband.

The mayor is still involved in Zuber’s case through her nonprofit, Friends Against Fraudulent Organizations Doing Detective Stuff, and donates her monthly stipend of $1,513 to a scholarship fund in Zuber’s honor.

The sheriff’s office will not be involved in the DOJ’s evaluation of the complaint but is willing to assist if called upon by the agency, Pixley said.

What are the allegations about?

The complaint accuses Massey of colluding with Greenway, the city’s former police chief, to withhold 24/7 police coverage.

Greenway resigned from the position in January after being placed on administrative leave in October due to disagreements with his superiors and the toxic culture he allegedly fostered within the police department.

A lengthy report detailing the events that led to Greenway’s placement on administrative leave was published by the city in February, and Greenway permanently surrendered his policing certifications to the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training the same month.

Shortly before Greenway was placed on leave — and in the midst of a mayoral election that Massey would go on to win — the St. Helens police force was preparing to end 24/7 patrolling due to budget constraints.

On Oct. 1, 2024, SHPD stopped 24/7 patrolling but assigned on-call officers to respond to emergencies from their homes should they be needed. After Greenway was placed on leave Oct. 14, Interim Police Chief Joe Hogue stepped into the role, and 24/7 police patrols were restored by Nov. 1.

Earlier this month, Hogue filed a suit against Massey and the city. The lawsuit centers on claims of retaliation against him for reporting Greenway’s alleged misconduct, and it also echoes the claims of collusion between Massey and Greenway that the DOJ is now evaluating.

The lawsuit claims that a portion of the report against Greenway that contains evidence of the alleged collusion was not released by the city. The Spotlight requested that portion of the report in March, a request which the city said is still under review by its attorneys.

City Administrator John Walsh declined to comment on the allegations.

“Due to ongoing litigation, the city cannot comment at this time,” Walsh said. “When appropriate and upon advice from legal counsel, the city will provide information to the media and public.”