CRIME

Man gets 27 years in prison for robbing, trying to kill Salem homeless men

Whitney Woodworth
Statesman Journal

A Portland man was sentenced Tuesday to 26 years and eight months in prison for a series of brutal attacks during which he tried to murder a man with a baseball bat and stabbed another man and forced him to walk into the river.  

At least two of the victims were transients living in the Salem area, according to police reports. 

Joseph Michael Sizemore, 33, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and coercion. 

He and Brady Canaga, 23, of Turner, were arrested in March after their third alleged victim was hospitalized with a punctured lung and deep laceration to his knee. 

Joseph Michael Sizemore, 33, of Portland

According to police records, Sizemore and Canaga allegedly attacked the third man near the 100 block of Mission St. SE on March 21 by stabbing him and robbing him. 

After the robbery, Sizemore forced the victim to undress and walk into the river. 

According to court records, Sizemore, a convicted sex offender, also tried to beat a man to death with a crowbar in November before threatening the man and forcing him to undress.

Four months later, on March 19, he tried to kill another man by beating him with a bat, according to court records.

Previous coverage:Salem police arrest two men suspected of trying to murder transients

Court documents list Canaga as Sizemore's co-defendant. According to court records, he joined Sizemore in trying to beat the March 19 victim to death by hitting him with a bat and kicking him with his boots until he was unconscious. 

Following the attack — which occurred by the railroad tracks near Mission Street and Commercial Street SE — the 40-year-old homeless victim was hospitalized with serious brain trauma requiring surgery. 

Brady James Canaga, 23, of Turner

Canaga and Sizemore were arrested six days after the March 21 attack near 100 Mission St. SE. 

Sizemore was convicted of two counts of third-degree rape in 2012. He was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender. 

After being taken into custody, Canaga was deemed to be a danger to his victim and Sizemore was labeled as a public safety risk. Both were held without bail.

In a notice, prosecutor Keir Boettcher cited Sizemore's deliberate cruelty to his victims, his targeting of vulnerable victims, his persistent involvement and multiple victims, his lack of remorse, and the permanent injury he caused. He stated his incarceration was necessary for public safety. 

Sizemore pleaded guilty to the attempted murder, assault, robbery and coercion on June 11. The remaining counts against him were dismissed. Because he was convicted of Measure 11 offenses requiring mandatory minimum sentences, he will not be eligible for early release or alternative programming. 

Canaga remains in Marion County jail on similar charges. He is scheduled to plead and be sentenced on July 17. 

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth

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