Jared Walter, the 32-year-old man who received the first ever lifetime ban from TriMet buses and trains following his most recent exploits of sexual abuse on the transit system, is out of jail.

Walter, who was dubbed the TriMet Barber in the media, was arrested March 26 and charged with inappropriately touching multiple women on TriMet this year. He’s been in custody since then and was sentenced this spring to one year in custody.

But Sgt. Brandon White, a Multnomah County Sheriff’s office spokesman, confirmed Walter was released from jail early Monday due to good behavior and working for at the jail while in custody.

TriMet said it received notice from Multnomah County law enforcement officers that Walter would be released. The Transit Police sent an email to all agency employees about Walter’s release, what he looks like and “what to do if an employee sees him on the system.”

“Operators and field staff with radios were instructed to contact the Operations Command Center,” said Roberta Altstadt, a TriMet spokeswoman. “Other employees were directed to contact 911.”

His release puts the agency in a tricky position where it must now test the viability of its very first lifetime ban from the system. In addition to the ban, probation requirements also restrict Walter for five years from trespassing on TriMet property, loitering within 50 feet of a TriMet bus stop or rail station or engaging in any inappropriate contact (physical or verbal) with any TriMet patron or employee. If he is caught breaking any of those conditions, he is subject to arrest.

Walter pleaded guilty to sexual harassment, sex abuse and interfering with public transportation for the 2019 crimes.

Jared Walter pictured in a previous booking photo (MCSO)Multnomah County Sheriff's Office

In the past decade, Walter’s been convicted, charged or implicated in dozens of incidents on the transit system where he’s cut, masturbated into, glued or otherwise touched women’s hair. Those crimes led to the TriMet Barber moniker.

His conduct sparked TriMet in September 2017 to take action and clear the road, bureaucratically, for the agency to issue its first-ever lifetime ban from the transit system. The transit board approved a change to its code to authorize life-time bans for individuals who committed “serious physical offense” against another rider or person on the system, or if they pose a “serious threat to TriMet employees and passengers” or “he or she has committed a sexual assault.” The ban couldn’t be retroactive, so TriMet had to wait for Walter to act again before taking action.

He did.

This April, General Manager Doug Kelsey issued a statement saying he’d decided to ban Walter for life. TriMet previously banned Walter for five years in 2013. Kelsey said the lifetime ban was “not made lightly.”

“But we cannot allow Mr. Walter to continue to ride based on his recent actions and behavior that threatens the safety and well-being of our riders and employees,” Kelsey said in April..

Now that ban is officially in the spotlight.

Altstadt said Walter’s information went out to bus and rail operators, “fare inspectors, field supervisors and workers, security officers and on-street customer service representatives who are out and about on the system every day.”

Riders are “always encouraged to tell an employee or call 911 if they “see something suspicious or someone acting inappropriately.”

UPDATE: This story has been updated. A previous story incorrectly stated the timing of the lifetime ban.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen

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