A Baker County Circuit Court judge has lowered the bail for Eric Vincent Swanlund, a 43-year-old Baker City man accused of raping a 15-year-old girl multiple times in 2024, from $750,000 to $565,000. Swanlund remains in custody at the Baker County Jail, where he has been held since his arrest on April 23, 2026.
His court-appointed attorney, William Thomson, argued that Swanlund's financial situation has deteriorated significantly since his arrest, making it impossible for him to post the previous bail amount. The judge, Matt Shirtcliff, noted that while Swanlund had more assets than many indigent defendants, his ability to pay bail had diminished due to the foreclosure of his home and ongoing business expenses.
Swanlund could secure release by posting 10% of the reduced bail, or $56,500. If released, he would be required to check in daily with the county's release officer, have no contact with the alleged victim, and not leave Baker County without court permission.
The charges against Swanlund are severe. A Baker County grand jury indicted him on 38 counts on April 30, including four counts of using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct, a Measure 11 offense carrying a mandatory minimum prison term of five years and 10 months per count.
The indictment also includes seven counts each of contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor, third-degree rape, third-degree sodomy, and third-degree sexual abuse. During the bail reduction hearing, District Attorney Greg Baxter described Swanlund as a "wolf in sheep's clothing" who allegedly manipulated the victim.
Baxter stated that Swanlund made admissions during a seven-hour police interview, though not confessing to all charges, and that the victim is frightened of him. Thomson, the defense attorney, countered that the publicity surrounding the case has caused "reputational harm" and that Swanlund would likely be unable to find work as a contractor even if released.
The judge balanced the seriousness of the charges, the strength of potential evidence, and Swanlund's lack of a history of failing to appear in court. Thomson had previously filed a motion to disqualify Judge Shirtcliff, which was denied by Judge Robert Raschio of Grant County.
Swanlund has also requested a different attorney, citing a lack of communication with Thomson. He waived his right to a speedy trial on May 11 and is scheduled for a status check hearing on July 6.
According to court documents, the alleged abuse occurred between June 7, 2024, and October 2024. The victim's mother reported the incidents to the sheriff's office on March 30, and the victim, now 17, told police that Swanlund had threatened her and her family if she disclosed the abuse.
During a police interview on April 23, Swanlund initially denied but later admitted to having sex with the girl.