Police chief seeks extradition of sexual offender to Oregon

PORTLAND – The Portland police chief is working to have a convicted sexual offender sent back to Oregon for violating probation in that state.

Michael Chitwood said he faxed and mailed a letter to Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski asking that Dwight Lindblom be extradited to Oregon, where Chitwood said Lindblom is on probation for a 2001 burglary conviction. Lindblom, 53, is in a Portland jail on a charge of harassment.

Chitwood said Lindblom is a “sexual predator” who has stalked, harassed and assaulted more than half a dozen women in Portland, South Portland and Brunswick this year.

In his letter to Kulongoski, Chitwood said it would be a “miscarriage of justice” if Lindblom weren’t extradited to Oregon.

“The city of Portland and the state of Maine cannot allow itself to become a dumping ground for dangerous sexual predators,” Chitwood wrote.

The matter was brought to the attention of the Oregon governor’s office Monday and was being reviewed, a spokesman said. In Oregon, extraditions are handled by the governor’s office, not the Attorney General’s Office.

Chitwood said that Lindblom has a criminal record in at least seven states and is a registered sexual offender in Oregon. He said Lindblom is also on probation in Oregon for a 2001 burglary conviction.

Earlier this year, police began receiving complaints from women about a man matching Lindblom’s description who was following, harassing and assaulting them.

Lindblom was arrested Saturday in Portland and is being held on $10,000 cash bail.