Yajnesa "Yaju" Dharmarajah (Deschutes County Sheriff's Office/Submitted photo)

An influential Bendite who has worked with the city of Bend and Deschutes County was arrested Monday morning for allegedly attempting to break into the Westside Church.

Police found Yajnesa “Yaju” Dharmarajah, 43, outside the church wearing a ski mask and gloves just after 4 a.m., according to a Bend Police Department news release. Dharmarajah allegedly had a crowbar in his hand, and after checking the building, officers found several areas damaged in a way consistent with an attempted break-in.

Dharmarajah was also found with a loaded 9 mm handgun. He was booked into the Deschutes County jail under suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of burglary tools, first-degree burglary and first-degree criminal mischief. According to the jail, he posted 10 percent of his $45,000 bail and was released.

Dharmarajah had no connection to Westside Church, according to Mike Alexander, its executive pastor.

Dharmarajah’s LinkedIn page states he works as a labor relations representative for the city of Bend, and is a partner with Central Oregon Labor Relations. He is a commissioner for the Oregon Council on Civil Rights and a chairman for the Central Oregon Social Justice Center.

He also filed a tort claim against former Deschutes County District Attorney Patrick Flaherty in 2014, claiming Flaherty characterized Dharmarajah as a “terrorist” with “plans to blow up government buildings,” making such accusations based on Dharmarajah’s “race and national origin.”

The Bulletin’s archives include many references to Dharmarajah’s influence and participation in the community and local government.

The Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office has yet to file formal charges indicting Dharmarajah with a crime. When reached Wednesday, Dharmarajah’s defense attorney Thaddeus Betz said Dharmarajah was suffering from a mental health episode when he was arrested, and said it was out of character. Betz said Dharmarajah was not attempting to steal anything from the church, but declined to elaborate further on Dharmarajah’s intentions.

Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel said he had talked with Betz about Dharmarajah’s mental state Monday morning.

“I’ll evaluate and consider his mental health status when deciding how best to resolve this case,” Hummel said in an email.

— Reporter: 541-383-0376, awieber@bendbulletin.com