What started as an alleged grocery store theft in West Salem has ended with a years-long prison stretch for a Redmond man who used a blowgun on his way out the door.
On Wednesday, 33-year-old Christopher Denver Castator was sentenced to nearly six years in prison after prosecutors say he shot a Roth’s Fresh Market employee with an arrow fired from a blowgun during a May 2025 theft at the West Salem store. Castator admitted his role in the robbery and the injury, and the court imposed a mandatory term that leaves him ineligible for early release.
According to a press release from the Polk County District Attorney’s Office, Castator was sentenced on Feb. 4, 2026, by Polk County Circuit Judge Rafael A. Caso to 70 months in prison for Robbery in the Second Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon, followed by 36 months of post-prison supervision. Prosecutors say the sentence was issued under Oregon’s Measure 11 rules, which sharply restrict sentence reductions and temporary leave for qualifying offenses.
Prosecutors say the confrontation unfolded after Castator and an accomplice were caught stealing merchandise and were heading out of the store. As they pulled away in a vehicle, Castator allegedly fired a roughly seven-inch arrow from a blowgun, striking a Roth’s employee. KPTV reports the incident took place in May 2025 at Roth’s Fresh Market in West Salem.
Plea and prosecution
Castator pleaded guilty earlier this year to Robbery in the Second Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon, according to the press release from the Polk County District Attorney’s Office. The case was investigated by the Salem Police Department and prosecuted by Polk County Deputy District Attorney Garrett Lewellen.
Measure 11 and mandatory minimums
Judge Caso applied Oregon’s Measure 11 mandatory minimum statute in the case. Measure 11 sets fixed minimum prison terms for specified violent felonies and largely removes most early release options once a qualifying sentence is imposed. For legal background on the statute and how Oregon courts interpret it, see FindLaw.
Investigation and aftermath
Salem Police detectives who responded to the May 2025 scene gathered evidence that ultimately supported Castator’s guilty plea and the resulting sentence. KPTV notes that prosecutors say the employee was struck by the arrow as Castator and his accomplice tried to flee.
According to the district attorney’s office, Castator will serve the full 70-month prison term, followed by three years of post-prison supervision. Court records and the DA’s formal statement are expected to reflect the final judgment and sentencing order in the coming days.
