Police allege victims were drugged, raped

Richard Orval Coym, 42, was arrested on charges of Sexual Abuse I, Kidnapping II and Assault IV on February 14 after Deschutes County sheriff's detectives served a search warrant at his home at 3326 SW Glacier in Redmond.

Sheriff's detectives believe Coym, a photographer, would drug and then rape women he met in bars, rodeos or concerts. Detectives suspect Coym may have victims throughout Oregon, according to Captain Pete Wanless.

The sheriff's office is asking for public assistance in identifying additional victims.

Coym has lived in Central Oregon since he was released from the Oregon State Penitentiary in 1989, where he was serving time for rape and kidnapping, according to the sheriff's department.

According to a press release issued on Monday, three days after the Valentine's Day arrest, detectives said Coym would allegedly meet women in a bar or special event, like a rodeo or concert, and invite them to his car for a drink of tequila.

Coym has had press passes to photograph the Sisters Rodeo for at least the last couple of years, according to the Sisters Rodeo Association.

According to police, Coym would allegedly slip the victim an incapacitating drug which would result in "muscle relaxation and slowed psychomotor responses and ultimately amnesia," according to the sheriff's office.

Coym then drove his victims to another location where he allegedly sexually assaulted them, according to the sheriff's office.

The case came to the attention of the sheriff's office when a victim went to the hospital on February 8.

"She went to the hospital for medical reasons, because she experienced an eight-hour black out on February 6 and was alarmed by this," Captain Wanless said. The sheriff's office was notified of a possible sexual assault.

Recently the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency issued a bulletin about a drug known as rohypnol, aka "roofies," that induced symptoms similar to excessive alcohol consumption. The symptoms described coincide with those experienced by the alleged victims of Coym.

When he lived in Portland prior to his prison term for rape and kidnapping, Coym was an EMT and he was experienced in giving drugs, according to Wanless.

Since beginning their investigation, Wanless said that there have been "numerous reports" from other Central Oregon police agencies describing similar situations involving Coym.

The sheriff's office is looking for other victims, and in a press release asked "If you have had contact with (Coym), and have no clear recollection of the events that occurred after drinking with him, please call the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office at 541-388-6655 or our victim hotline at 541-388-6644."