A local attorney who was arrested last month for allegedly firing shots at a Beaverton, Ore., lawyer’s office in late December is now accused of operating a methamphetamine laboratory in the basement of his Vancouver home.
Erik John Graeff, 43, appeared Monday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to manufacture and manufacturing methamphetamine and MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy or Molly.
Graeff is licensed to practice law in Washington and Oregon; his office is located in Portland.
Vancouver police served a search warrant Feb. 28 at Graeff’s residence at 2701 H St., where they found several boxes of pseudoephedrine, which is used in the production of methamphetamine, in a hall closet. A computer in the house contained notes and videos on how to produce drugs, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Clark County Superior Court.
In the basement, officers found what they believe to be a methamphetamine laboratory. They located chemicals, glass cookware, chemical glassware and heating plates, as well as a notebook detailing chemical and cooking observations. They confiscated a glass jar containing a white crystalline substance, which field-tested positive for methamphetamine, the affidavit states.
During the search, police also found videos of an unknown man in the same basement attempting to manufacture Safrole, which is used to produce MDMA, court records said.
Two 9 mm handguns — one loaded — were seized from a bedroom closet, according to court documents.
Shooting
On the same day police searched his residence, Graeff was arrested and booked into the Washington County, Ore., Jail on suspicion of unlawful use of a weapon and recklessly endangering another person.
That arrest stems from a Dec. 21 shooting at a Beaverton, Ore., law firm, in which a receptionist was nearly struck when a bullet went through a window, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in Washington County Circuit Court.
Graeff reportedly had an ongoing dispute with attorney Terrance Hogan, with whom he had been working on a civil case. Hogan had left Graeff a voicemail message earlier that day, expressing his displeasure with Graeff’s performance on the case. The two exchanged taunting emails about three hours before the shooting, the affidavit states.
In response to Hogan’s voicemail, Graeff sent him a belittling email at 3:40 p.m. and attached a picture of a cat playing a violin.
At 4:19 p.m., Hogan replied, “We will let you explain your conduct to the Oregon State Bar and WSB (Washington State Bar), tough guy.”
Graeff replied at 4:31 p.m., writing, “I’m tougher than you and both bars together.”
Minutes later, Hogan wrote, “You know where I am tough guy.”
Graeff replied at 4:38 p.m., “If the traffic wasn’t such (expletive), I’d be there today.”
Then, at about 7 p.m., a receptionist at the law office where Hogan works called 911 to report someone had shot at the building.
Responding officers found six rounds had struck the building, two of which went through a window — one struck a computer monitor, narrowly missing the receptionist, and another lodged into the metal frame of a door, the affidavit states.
The receptionist told police she had been preparing office space for a new employee when she heard a metallic ping and was sprayed with material from the wall. That’s when she saw the window had been shot, according to the affidavit.
Hogan told police his office is next to the one that was damaged by the bullets.
Graeff emailed Hogan the day after the shooting and wrote, “Terry, I’m sorry I lost my temper yesterday, but you are not funny anymore with your threats. You’re just an (expletive). This case is your foul up. You should have taken charge of it after I filed it. I’ve done the best I can. With that off my chest, Merry Christmas buddy,” the affidavit says.
Court records show Graeff was out on bail in the shooting case in Oregon when he was arrested by Vancouver police.
His bail in the Clark County case was set at $25,000. He will be arraigned March 30.
