U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, center, speaks with Medford police Chief Justin Ivens, left, and Medford Mayor Randy Sparacino about the proliferation of hard drugs in Southern Oregon during a press conference Oct. 12 in Medford. 

Sen. Ron Wyden is taking his concerns about Southern Oregon drug trafficking to the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration after his efforts to press lower ranks at the federal agency failed to garner a response.

Oregon’s senior senator, a Democrat, gave DEA Administrator Anne Milgram until the end of the day Oct. 25 to answer pointed questions about increasing the federal agency’s staffing locally and improving its involvement in Rogue Valley drug investigations, according to a letter shared Wednesday by Wyden’s office.

Wyden’s questions include one asking the DEA to bring in agents from out of the area to Southern Oregon by next month.

“Will you commit to fully staffing the region with special agents on TDY (temporary duty) travel within the next thirty days until permanent staff can be onboarded?” stated Wyden’s letter, dated Oct. 18.

A Rogue Valley Times request for comment from the DEA’s Office of Public Affairs went unreturned Thursday.

The letter follows an Oct. 12 roundtable meeting in Medford with local law enforcement and regional DEA representatives regarding the proliferation of hard drugs in the Rogue Valley, such as fentanyl, and local leaders’ efforts to combat it.

Wyden said he had “very candid” conversations with Jackson County Sheriff Nate Sickler, Medford police Chief Justin Ivens and Medford Mayor and former police Chief Randy Sparacino at a press conference that followed the roundtable, and the senator summarized the DEA presence in Southern Oregon as “virtually non-existent.”

The senator pledged last week to hold the DEA accountable. He gave officials from the agency’s Portland office a Monday deadline “to provide me with more information in writing how it plans to better serve Southern Oregonians.”

The Monday deadline came and went, according to the letter. 

“I have yet to receive a response,” Wyden’s letter states. “This is unacceptable, especially given that I-5 is a major artery for illicit drugs coming into the state.”

A DEA representative told Wyden at the meeting that the agency has plans to bring Southern Oregon to full staffing within six to 12 months, according to the letter. Wyden said he wants to know exactly how the DEA intends to boost staffing.

“What are the specific steps you are taking to enact this plan?” Wyden asked.

He asked the agency to commit to designate staff for temporary duty to travel to Southern Oregon within the next 30 days, and asked what the DEA’s plans are to “improve coordination with local and state law enforcement in Southern Oregon.” 

Lastly, Wyden asked how he can help as a senator and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. 

“What can I and the Congress do to support your staffing and coordination efforts?” Wyden asked.

When asked what happens if Milgram fails to respond by the Oct. 25 deadline, Wyden’s press secretary Hank Stern said, “Ask me on the 25th.”