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A Portland firefighter is in custody and faces felony charges related to child sex abuse stemming from a case last summer.
WW first reported in August 2025 that Andrew Ligatich, a longtime Portland firefighter, was under investigation related to child abuse and child porn.
The existence of such an investigation was divulged in a July 16, 2025, court filing by Ligatich’s ex-wife, who requested greater restrictions on his child custody. For the next six months, Ligatich remained on paid leave with Portland Fire & Rescue while the investigation continued.
Then, on April 20, according to a statement by the Portland Police Bureau, Ligatich turned himself in to the Multnomah County Detention Center. He’s charged with three counts of encouraging child sex abuse in the first degree and two counts of using a child in display of sexually explicit content. Both are felonies.
The Police Bureau wrote that an investigation by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found uploaded and distributed child sex abuse material last year, and that the bureau “identified multiple related accounts and traced associated IP activity to a Portland fire station, where the material was uploaded.” Officers identified the suspect as Ligatich.
The fire bureau says Ligatich remains on paid leave after his arrest.
“This presently is a dynamic situation, and PF&R and the city of Portland are monitoring it closely,” said bureau spokesman Rick Graves. “Depending on what happens, PF&R and the city will perform its own investigation and determine whether unpaid leave is necessary.”
The firefighters union has historically fiercely defended the rights of members accused of disturbing conduct.
Graves says that following Ligatich’s arraignment, the “city of Portland and [the fire bureau] are meeting to address this leave status.”
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office declined to provide the probable cause affidavit that led to the charges.
