From Nonprofit Leader to Meth Dealer: Oregon’s St. Vincent de Paul Director Sentenced to 40 Months

The former executive director of the nonprofit homeless services organization, St. Vincent de Paul of Bend, was sentenced to jail on Wednesday for selling large quantities of methamphetamine from his Oregon home.

Gary Hewitt (59) was arrested after he was served with a search warrant for police to enter his Redmond home where they found a scale, packaging, and cash.

Hewitt was sentenced to 40 months in state prison and three years probation when he appeared before Judge Beth Bagley in the Deschutes County Circuit Court. He pleaded guilty to selling large quantities of meth.

In 2011, Hewitt served prison time on two counts of encouraging child sexual abuse.

He was a Stellar Employee

Hewitt worked for the nonprofit for nine years before he was appointed as executive director in 2021. Letters from volunteer workers at St. Vincent de Paul attested to his character before his sentencing.

The court heard that the nonprofit was aware of Hewitt’s background and that they believed him to be fully reformed. The organization also described him as a ‘stellar’ employee.

Initially, prosecutors had alleged that there were more than 100 grams of meth involved, carrying a mandatory prison sentence of three to six years in terms of state law.

However, once the packaging had been removed, the meth likely weighed under the threshold, according to Deputy District Attorney Andrew Doyle.

One hundred grams of meth is equal to 1,000 servings. According to Doyle, this signals intent to sell. Prosecutors dropped a second charge of possession because Hewitt pleaded guilty to the more serious charge of delivery.