Man sentenced to more than 9 years in prison after robbing Washington Square Mall stores at knifepoint in 2023

Jesus Esteban Flores was sentenced to 109 months in prison for theft at the Washington Square Mall. June 14, 2024 (courtesy Washington County Sheriff's Office).

PORTLAND, OregonKOIN) — A man was sentenced to more than nine years in prison after being convicted of robbery and other charges for stealing from multiple stores at knifepoint inside the Washington Square Mall Last year.

Jesus Esteban Flores was sentenced to 109 months in prison and three years of supervised release for the crimes, the Washington County District Attorney's Office announced Friday.

Officials said Flores began a crime spree shortly after entering the Southwest Portland mall on Sept. 17, 2023. Placing a large kitchen knife on a shoe counter, he asked a department store employee a pair of shoes in his size. Flores took them without paying, stole a hat from a nearby store and then went outside to put on the shoes.

He re-entered the mall, went to another store, attempted to steal several shirts by hiding them under his clothes and was confronted by an employee. The employee backed away after Flores showed the person a knife in his waistband and advanced toward them. Flores verbally threatened the victim and brandished the knife in his hand as he left the store.

Soon, security guards at Washington Square Mall began to act. One of them followed Flores throughout the mall. Noticing that he was being followed, Flores threatened the security guard, pointing his knife and making death threats outside the main entrance of a shopping center. The security guard backed away, but other security guards watched from a distance and alerted law enforcement.

What followed was a confrontation between Flores on a bicycle and Tigard police that ultimately resulted in his arrest. As the Washington County District Attorney's Office explains in a statement:

“The Tigard police officers arrested the defendant while he was trying to leave the scene on a bicycle. They identified themselves and ordered him to drop the knife. After the defendant refused several commands, they shot the defendant with less-lethal 40mm foam bullets. Officers then seized the knife, returned the merchandise and took the defendant to jail.

Last week, a Washington County jury found Flores guilty of two counts of robbery, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and second-degree larceny. He will serve his sentence in the Oregon Department of Corrections.