PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – A former private security company co-owner was sentenced on Wednesday after prosecutors say he used excessive force while on duty at a bar in southeast Portland.
A Multnomah County judge sentenced 39-year-old Jesus Mendez Ayala III to 27 months – or just over two years – in prison after he pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted assault.
The assault happened on Dec. 10, 2022, outside El Mojito PDX, a bar located at 1222 SE Stark Street.
According to prosecutors, a man wearing a light-colored cowboy hat was trying to re-enter the bar when security guards refused to let him back inside. An argument broke out, and the man’s cousin stepped in to try to separate them.
Investigators say Ayala then pepper-sprayed both men.
Surveillance video captured part of what happened next. Prosecutors say Ayala fired a pepper ball gun at the cousin as he turned away and tried to cover his eyes.
Moments later, outside the view of the camera, prosecutors say Ayala fired additional pepper ball rounds and ordered another security guard to strike the man with a collapsible baton.
The victim later told police he tried to shield his head from the blows and broke fingers while attempting to protect himself.
Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Quinn Zemel, who prosecuted the case, said the sentencing sends a clear message about accountability for security officers.
“This sentencing sent a strong message about how this community will handle violations of the public trust from private security guards,” Zemel said.
Zemel said private security guards play an important role in the community, but must still follow the law when using force.
“In this particular instance, the evidence showed that this was not just an overuse of force, but an intentional assault,” Zemel said.
The case took several years to resolve. Prosecutors say detectives conducted a lengthy investigation to determine whether the use of force was justified.
Zemel also said the case was delayed in part because Ayala absconded from supervision, leading to a warrant for his arrest before he was located and taken back into custody.
Another security guard involved in the incident, Steven Alyn Bomgardner, pleaded guilty in a separate case on April 5, 2024, to second-degree attempted assault and was sentenced to two years in prison.
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