John Wentworth
For Clackamas County District Attorney
John Wentworth
Meet John
John Wentworth is proud to make Clackamas County his personal and professional home. A prosecutor for 25 years, John has extensive experience in the courtroom. John has prosecuted thousands of criminal cases including misdemeanors, drug offenses, elder financial exploitation, child abuse, and aggravated murder. He is recognized statewide as an expert in domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse. John has trained hundreds of prosecutors, police officers, parole and probation officers, victim advocates, and community partners in the investigation and prosecution of elder abuse and family violence. John also successfully led efforts for stronger legislative protections for Oregon’s elders and domestic violence victims. His leadership, partnership and commitment to fairness and justice is why so many community leaders are endorsing him.
A Clackamas High School graduate, John received degrees in Political Science and Speech Communication from Oregon State University and earned his law degree at Lewis and Clark’s Northwestern School of Law in 1994.
John began his legal career in 1994 at the Coos County District Attorney’s Office where he handled all of the adult sex crimes and child abuse cases in the county. A Clackamas County prosecutor since 1999, John now handles the office’s most challenging and high-profile cases.
John has filled a variety of supervisory roles at the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office including supervising the Juvenile Unit, Family Support Unit, and Domestic Violence and Vulnerable Adult Unit. Additionally, John is the Chair of Clackamas County’s Vulnerable Adult Multi-Disciplinary Team, and oversees the office’s participation in all of Clackamas County’s specialty courts including Mental Health Court, Adult Drug Court, Juvenile Drug Court, Community Court, and DUII Court.
John’s efforts have been recognized by a variety of community organizations. He has been recognized by the Crime Victims’ Assistance Network of Oregon for his “Outstanding Victim Advocacy,” and received the Clackamas County Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team Public Service Award in 2007. In 2012, John received the Oregon Health Care Association’s “Special Service Award.” And, under John’s leadership, the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence and Vulnerable Adult Team received the Clackamas Women’s Services 2019 Impact Award.
John is also an advocate for early intervention and treatment programs. He is the Chair of the Board of Directors at Parrott Creek Child and Family Services in Clackamas County. For over 50 years, Parrott Creek has provided juvenile justice-involved youth and their families with the "tools, skills and emotional support they need to address negative behavioral patterns" and get on the right path to success. He is also a board member of the Children's Center, a child abuse intervention center located in Clackamas County and accredited by the National Children's Alliance.
John is also a father of two great teenagers, and lives in Clackamas County.