Oregon Public Broadcasting

The embattled head of the Oregon Youth Authority announced his resignation Wednesday.

Bob Jester’s decision comes in the wake of an investigation into wrongdoing at a state-run youth detention center. Salem correspondent Chris Lehman reports

The Oregon Youth Authority runs 11 youth prisons and work camps across the state.  The director of one of those facilities, the Riverbend detention center in La Grande, was indicted last month on 26 counts of theft and official misconduct.

Then, a few weeks later, a high-level supervisor at the Authority abruptly quit.  The move came amid allegations that he’d had an inappropriate romantic relationship with a subordinate.

Outgoing director Bob Jester says the series of events played into his decision to step down.

Bob Jester:  “There have been challenges and I think that there has been a focus and a distraction by these challenges and I think that my presence now creates some level of distraction.”

Jester’s resignation is effective October 1st.

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Oregon Youth Authority