Former Oregon State Hospital escapee sentenced to 22 years in prison

PORTLAND, Ore. — Christopher Pray, the man who escaped from the Oregon State Hospital last fall only to be recaptured two days later after getting stuck in a muddy pond, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to several charges related to his previous crimes.

The Multnomah County Prosecutor's Office announced Monday that Pray, 39, reached a plea deal with prosecutors for several pending cases against him and was sentenced as follows:

• 130 months for one count of first degree assault with a firearm and attempted murder with a firearm
• 90 months for a count of robbery with a firearm
• 70 months for a count of second degree assault constituting domestic violence
• 30 months for one count of first-degree criminal mischief and second-degree attempted escape
• 130 months for one count of first degree manslaughter

The first two sentences and the 44 months of the third sentence must be served consecutively, for a total of 264 months or 22 years. The remainder of the third sentence, as well as the fourth and fifth sentences, will be served concurrently. All sentences relate to incidents occurring between 2022 and 2024.

Pray was initially arrested on murder, robbery and assault charges in May 2023, and was separately charged with stealing and shooting out the windows of a North Portland auto parts store the previous month.

He was transferred to the Oregon State Hospital in late August, where he got into a fight with another patient and had to be taken to a local hospital for medical treatment. On his way home, he managed to take control of the hospital transport van and drive it, despite being handcuffed and leg shackled.

A federal investigation later revealed that staff left the keys in the van's ignition when they got out after stopping at the Oregon State Hospital, and that there was no no physical barrier between the front and rear seats, so Pray was able to jump into the vehicle. front seat and escape.

He eluded law enforcement after a chase on southbound Interstate 5 and remained on the run for about 36 hours until the Portland Fire Department was called to rescue a person stuck in the mud until underarms in a north Portland pond. He was taken to the hospital where he attempted to give a false name, but a hospital worker recognized him as Pray and he was taken back into custody.

Pray is currently being held in Multnomah County, according to the prosecutor's office, but will be transported to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.