Special prosecutor charges former Alaska attorney general nominee with sexual abuse of a minor – Alaska Public Media

A particular prosecutor on Friday charged former Alaska Legal professional Normal-designee Ed Sniffen with three counts of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

Third-degree sexual abuse of a minor is a Class C felony punishable by two to 12 years in jail.

Alaska courthouses are closed on Friday afternoons, and the costs haven’t but been processed by the Alaska Courtroom System, however Deputy Legal professional Normal Cori Mills supplied the small print in an electronic mail to Alaska Division of Regulation employees. 

“Now that prices have been filed,” she wrote, “a grand jury will decide whether or not to indict primarily based on the proof introduced to them.”

She added that the charging determination was made by particular prosecutor Gregg Olson, “and all different prosecutorial actions on this case will likewise be dealt with by the particular prosecutor.”

Reached by telephone, Olson confirmed the data within the electronic mail however stated he couldn’t present additional particulars till the case has been processed and entered by the court docket system.

The costs are associated to Sniffen’s alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old woman in 1991, when she was a highschool scholar and Sniffen was the coach of her college’s mock trial group. Sniffen was 27 on the time.

The connection got here to mild in early 2021 after an investigation by the Anchorage Each day Information and ProPublica. 

At the moment, Gov. Mike Dunleavy had named Sniffen his most popular alternative for Legal professional Normal Kevin Clarkson, who resigned after a special ADN investigation discovered he had despatched lots of of undesirable textual content messages to a subordinate.

Sniffen, who was by no means confirmed by the Alaska Legislature, had been a longtime worker of the Division of Regulation, becoming a member of the company in 2000 and dealing in a wide range of roles till his departure.

Legal professional Caitlin Shortell, representing the girl within the alleged relationship, stated she had no remark Friday and that the girl was unavailable for an interview.

Sniffen has been represented by legal professional Jeffrey Robinson, who didn’t instantly reply a message left at his workplace.

In Mills’ letter to Division of Regulation staff, she stated Sniffen labored alongside folks on the division for a few years.

“He was a valued colleague and to many people, a good friend,” she wrote. “Right this moment’s submitting of prices could also be disappointing and even discouraging, however our division serves all of the folks of Alaska and is dedicated to equity and justice for everybody.”