A 41-year-old man has been been arrested on first-degree murder charges after he allegedly broke into a North Pole home and shot another man to death.

Shortly before 12:30 a.m. Thursday, Alaska State Troopers received a report of a home invasion and shooting in North Pole, according to an online dispatch. The caller, reportedly still in the home, told troopers one person had been struck.

When AST and the North Pole Police Department responded, they found a man — identified as 34-year-old John “Adam” Chilcote — with gunshot wounds. He was declared dead at the scene, troopers said, and his next-of-kin have been notified.

An investigation revealed that 41-year-old Matthew Davis “broke into the residence, ran upstairs and shot Chilcote several times while the complainant hid and called 911,” according to the dispatch.

Davis then drove away from the home, troopers said. About 20 minutes after the shooting was reported, Davis showed up at the police department and was taken into custody.

The State Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy on Chilcote, and an investigation is ongoing, according to troopers.

–This is a developing story. 

A combined task force arrested a 31-year-old Anchorage man Friday morning on several sex trafficking, sexual assault and weapons misconduct charges.

Xavier Lanell Cook Benson was charged Thursday on 12 counts for allegedly operating a ”brutal and exploitative sex trafficking and prostitution enterprise” in Anchorage, which also functioned in Juneau, Kenai and Fairbanks, according to a statement from the Alaska Department of Law.

Assistant Attorney General Adam Alexander says it took months to build this case, using surveillance, digital forensics and key witness testimonies.

“Almost as important — if not more important — is the ability of our investigators to build relationships with people who are being trafficked, gain their trust and ultimately be able to stop the practice,” Alexander said.

Several of the charges relate to instances where Benson allegedly sexually and physically assaulted the women he trafficked. Those allegations were supported with evidence collected from several electronics owned by Benson, messages corroborating not only the assaults themselves, but the unwillingness of at least one of the women involved.

Police also presented evidence that Benson attempted to silence the women he trafficked by threatening them.

“Since the investigation into Benson’s activities began, he has made several threats both directly and through intermediaries to the women he has trafficked in an effort to avoid prosecution,” police wrote in court documents.

Threats and actual violence often keeps victims silent, according to Alaska Institute for Justice executive director Robin Bronen.

“We are still learning the dynamics of sex trafficking and what I mean by that is the power and control issues that occur between a trafficker and the people who are being trafficked,” Bronen said.

Alexander and Bronen both say the number of trafficking cases in the state is increasing, due in part to easy advertising on the internet but also because of Alaska’s high rate of sexual assault and domestic violence.

“When you’ve been harmed in that way, it increases your vulnerability to being solicited by people who would traffic you, put you in situations that you could never imagine,” Bronen said.

Trafficking is hidden in the community, according to Bronen. The only way to stop it is prevention, education and speaking up.

The FBI primarily handles human trafficking cases, along with APD.

Benson’s bail was set by warrant at $100,000 cash performance bond, a $100,000 cash corporate appearance bond and a court-approved third-party custodian, according to the DOL. Benson faces a minimum sentencing range of 40 to 60 years.

Authorities believe Benson may have more victims and ask anyone with information to contact Anchorage Police Department Detective Dawn Neer or FBI Special Agent Jolene Goden at 907-276-4441.

–Check back for updates on this developing story. 

Last Updated: Feb. 20, 2015 7:45 p.m.

ANCHORAGE – Following a two-month investigation, six people were arrested in Kasilof Thursday for their roles in the sale and distribution of methamphetamine and heroin, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Four of the arrests occurred around 9:30 a.m. Thursday after authorities simultaneously served search warrants at two Kasilof homes — one on Tustamena Lake Road, the other on Friendship Avenue.

Joshua Tri, 30, of Kasilof was arrested and charged with two counts of third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance. John Fisler, 51, also of Kasilof, was arrested and charged with four counts of third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance. Stacey Whitley, 40, of Soldotna was arrested and charged with one count of fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance. Ashley Armknecht, 23, of Soldotna was arrested and charged with violating the terms of her probation.

At around 5 p.m. Thursday, Isis Holcombe, 18, of Kasilof and Levi Shannon, 18, of Kasilof were confronted by police as they attempted to distribute meth and heroin.

The two were then arrested and charged with two counts of  second-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, as well as two counts of third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance. Shannon was later charged with three counts of  third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, according to AST.

The investigation began after residents in the Kasilof area alerted authorities to suspicious drug-related activity, according to AST spokeswoman Megan Peters. Concerned community members continued to provide invaluable information during the two-month investigation, eventually leading to six arrests.

The arrests were the result of a joint investigation between the Soldotna Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit; the Alaska Bureau of Investigation; Alaska Wildlife Troopers; the Kenai Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security.

The six arrested were taken to the Wildwood Pretrial Facility and are currently being held without bail.

Ketchikan police uncovered a marijuana grow operation during a welfare check of a child reportedly kept in a cage.

Tuesday, the Ketchikan Police Department received a call from the mother of a 5-year-old who was staying with their grandparents. Police were told the child was being restrained at night.

A search warrant was issued for the home of Eric and Penny Riley on Woodside Drive, where police found the child in a cage.

“The child was located in a bedroom in an improvised cage,” police wrote in a prepared statement. “The child’s legs were secured at the ankles using tape and straps.“

Police also found 54 marijuana plants in the home, two digital scales and other materials used for packaging marijuana. A 9-year-old child was also in the home during the police search.

The 5-year-old was taken into custody by the Office of Children’s Services, but KPD Deputy Chief Josh Dossett says it was unclear how the 9-year-old was involved in the situation, and was not taken into custody.

The Rileys each face two counts of fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in relation to the investigation into the marijuana found at the scene. Further charges relating to the treatment of the couple’s grandchild have been forwarded to the district attorney’s office for consideration, Dossett said.

Just before 4 a.m. Saturday, Anchorage police responded to the report of a robbery at an apartment on the 100 block of N. Flower Street in Mountain View

Courtesy Google Maps

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of an Anchorage teenager accused of robbery and assault in Mountain View.

Just before 4 a.m., the Anchorage Police Department responded to the report of a robbery at an apartment on the 100 block of N. Flower Street, according to a release from APD. Shots were also fired, police say.

When officers arrived, they found four adults inside the residence.

“The occupants of the residence reported to police that an acquaintance known by the name of ‘Onie’ had been at the home earlier in the evening and left when asked to do so,” the release says. “The occupants of the home then went to sleep.”

One of the residents then “awoke to the suspect demanding property,” police say. The suspect — who police have identified as 19-year-old Foreignne Aubert-Morissett – was also pointing a handgun at the resident. Police say the resident and Aubert-Morissett got into a physical altercation. The teenager fired off two rounds which did not strike anyone, APD says. Then, he fled the scene.

Aubert-Morissett faces first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary and third-degree assault, among other charges.

Police are hoping that Aubert-Morissett turns himself in to authorities and are asking anyone with information on his whereabouts to call APD at 786-8900.

A man is in the hospital in critical condition after an early morning shooting in the parking lot of Chilkoot Charlie's in Spenard.

A man is in the hospital in critical condition after an early morning shooting in the parking lot of Chilkoot Charlie’s in Spenard.

Just after 3 a.m., the Anchorage Police Department received a call that a male had been shot in the parking lot of the bar. When police and medics arrived at the scene, they found a man on the ground with a single gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital and is in critical condition, police say.

It was reported to police that the male had been involved in an altercation with other adults in the parking lot and was shot by someone who was in a vehicle, APD says.

According to a release from Chilkoot Charlie, “five individuals in a dark colored van were seen fleeing the scene.” These individuals had been previously approached by bar security “with a request to lower the volume on their music,” the statement says.

“These individuals were not recognized to have been patrons of Chilkoot Charlie’s but had been driving west on 25th Avenue before turning into the parking lot at Spenard and 25th Avenue,” the statement continued.

Police have not taken any suspects into custody at this time. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact APD at 786-8900.

A Wasilla man and First Student bus monitor has been placed on administrative leave after he was arrested on sexual abuse of a minor charges, the Mat-Su Borough School District says.

Both the Wasilla Office of Children’s Services and the Mat-Su Child Abuse Investigation Unit began to investigate a possible sexual abuse incident at the beginning of February, according to an online Alaska State Troopers dispatch posted Friday. As a result of the investigation, troopers arrested 41-year-old Timothy Queripel on five counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

AST then notified the Mat-Su School District of Queripel’s arrest.

The MSBSD contract with First Student requires contractors to conduct background checks on bus drivers and employees covering a period of 20 years. Mr. Queripel has been employed by First Student since August 15, 2013. For the last 18 years, off and on, Mr. Queripel has worked for both First Student and Laidlaw.

Queripel was taken to the Mat-Su Pre-Trial facility. No bail was set.

The Anchorage Police Department is looking for a 43-year-old man, wanted on a parole arrest warrant.

Tony Gabriel Ward is wanted for failing to comply with conditions of release, which stems from a drug conviction, according to a statement from APD.

Police say Ward is 5’9″ tall, 170 pounds, with long brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on Ward’s whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP or submit a tip anonymously online.

Between June 25 and Nov. 30, the Wild Alaskan was a floating bar and strip club, the U.S. Attorney's Office says.

The owners of Kodiak’s Wild Alaskan, also known as the “Stripper Boat,” were indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly dumping human waste into a Kodiak harbor.

Darren and Kimberly Byler, who run the crab-boat-turned-strip-club, are accused of dumbing raw sewage into unauthorized waters and lying to the U.S. Coast Guard, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

During the floating bar’s operation between June 25, 2014 and Nov. 30, 2014, Kimberly told the U.S. Coast Guard that human waste from the boat was being stored in a 5,000-gallon tank on the vessel. She also said the waste was then being disposed of by a commercial waste disposal firm, the release says. In Darren’s correspondence with the Coast Guard, he reported that waste was being disposed of at a pier on St. Herman Harbor or that he would transport the waste to an offshore site, where he would then dump it into the ocean.

“The indictment alleges that these representations to the U.S. Coast Guard were false,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a release. “Waste from the Wild Alaskan was being piped from the customer and employee bathrooms directly overboard and into St. Herman Harbor.”

Disposal of human waste into unauthorized waters is a volition of the Refuse Act, the release says. The crime carries up to one year in jail and a fine of $25,000 for each day the act was violated, if convicted. Making material false statements to the U.S. Coast Guard is a violation of Title 18, meaning the Bylers face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, if convicted.

Darren was arraigned Monday, the release says. Kimberly is not yet in federal custody.

Johnathan Michael Nichol will serve eight years in prison for taking sexually exploitative photographs of a 20-month-old girl and possessing child pornography.

Nichol, who was living in Eagle River when he was arrested in 2010, pled guilty in July of last year to taking the photos of his relative and sharing them on the Internet. Prosecutors say investigators found one of the images on two other computers in Texas and Illinois in separate cases.

During the sentencing, the victim’s mother addressed the court.

“I worry about the safety of myself and my children,” said the mother. “My daughter, who was pictured in the images, manufactured and distributed by Johnathan Nichol, now suffers from anxiety because of what he did.”

The victim’s mother says her daughter “has issues with her interactions with unfamiliar males.”

“She either can’t bring herself to look at or talk to males and breaks down crying if one touches her that she’s not comfortable with,” the victim’s mother said. “Or she is overly comfortable, sometimes literally putting herself all over them.”

Before he was sentenced, 29-year-old Nichol read a statement to the court.

“I don’t want people to be afraid of me, I don’t want to look like a monster,” said Nichol. “I will pay for my crime and better myself in jail and out in the world. Pornography is not something I should’ve viewed in the first place.’

The prosecutor for the state, Adam Alexander, requested that the court consider “community condemnation and reaffirmation of societal norms.”

In doing so, Alexander said the state asked for a minimum sentence of 20 years with 10 years suspended on the two counts.

Judge Kevin Saxby said community condemnation is an extremely important factor, and Alaska has taken a strong stand.

“We recognize our past failings in this area,” said Saxby. “And the community as a whole has taken a strong stand on crimes of this nature.”

For the crime of possessing child pornography, Nichol was sentenced to four years with two years suspended. For the crime of unlawful exploitation of a minor, he was sentenced to 12 years with four years suspended. He will serve the terms concurrently, resulting in eight years in prison. He’s eligible for parole in five years.

“I do believe that you want to change, and I believe you should be given a chance to change,” said Saxby.

The investigation into Nichol began in 2010 when Anchorage Police Department detectives were given a tip from The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

“I’m glad we have some closure, this has taken a long time,” said former APD detective Glen Klinkhart, who led the investigation. “The judge did make a good decision. At the end of the day, the victims can continue with their lives. They are going to get some restitution and the help that they need.”

Bethel police are investigating a homicide after discovering a body during a welfare check Monday night.

Around 4 p.m., a welfare check was requested of the Bethel Police Department for an individual at the Bethel Native Corporation apartment complex on Ridgecrest Drive. Police on scene discovered a female’s body in an apartment and took a male suspect into custody, according to a statement from Bethel Lt. Joseph Corbett.

The body was identified as Leeann Berlin, 26, and was taken to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation’s morgue before being transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage, Corbett wrote. There was evidence that Berlin had been dead for some time, according to Corbett.

The suspect, 27-year-old Mark Charlie Jr., was questioned by police, and admitted to strangling Berlin roughly four or five days prior to his arrest. He told police he and Berlin had had an argument Wednesday night.

Charlie was arrested and taken to the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center under the charges of first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence, according to police.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor in this case.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

A man has been arrested in the connection with his infant daughter’s death after a warrant was issued last year.

Aaron Vanormer — who had an active $50,000 warrant for manslaughter and another warrant for a parole violation — was taken into custody after Alaska State Troopers were tipped off about his location Saturday, according to an online dispatch posted Tuesday morning.

Troopers responded to a home in Wasilla, where they found 29-year-old Vanormer and his girlfriend. Although the couple was “initially non-compliant,” they ultimately exited the residence and Vanormer was arrested, the dispatch said.

The warrant was issued in December after his 2-month-old daughter’s death at a Spenard motel in June, according to court documents. Investigation revealed the child — whose mother was in custody at the time — was living in a motel room with Vanormer.

The victim’s grandfather reportedly found the child in a motel bathtub not breathing, charging documents say. An autopsy could not conclusively say drowning was the cause of death.

Court records show Vanormer was arraigned Monday.

A former Marine has been convicted in the deaths of “American Sniper” author Chris Kyle and Kyle’s friend at a shooting range.

Jurors returned the verdict Tuesday against Eddie Ray Routh, whose attorneys had mounted an insanity defense and said he suffered from psychosis. Since prosecutors didn’t seek the death penalty in the capital murder case, the 27-year-old receives an automatic life sentence without parole in the deaths of the famed Navy SEAL and Chad Littlefield.

The men had taken Routh out shooting in February 2013 after Routh’s mother asked Kyle to help him. Family members say Routh suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq and in Haiti.

The case drew intense interest, largely because of the blockbuster film based on Kyle’s memoir about his four Iraq tours.

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Juneau police have arrested a man accused for his part in at least two of the recent burglaries in town.

Berton A. Tullis, 33, is charged in connection with the Feb. 16 burglary of coffee drive-thru Capital Brew and the Feb. 22 burglary of Rejuvenations Salon and Spa, according to a release from the Juneau Police Department. A detective made the arrest on Tuesday evening.

“Investigators are still looking into the possibility of Tullis being involved in other burglaries,” the release states.

Tullis was taken to the Lemon Creek Correctional Center, where he faces two counts of second-degree burglary, a felony offense punishable by up to five years in jail and $50,000.

A 26-year-old Wasilla man was arrested after he allegedly broke into a Wasilla residence and threatened the homeowner with a stolen gun Tuesday afternoon.

According to an online dispatch from Alaska State Troopers, Devin J. Rudolph broke into a home on Begich Drive and stole “several items including a firearm.”

The homeowner interrupted the in-progress burglary, and Rudolph threatened the homeowner with the gun he had swiped from the residence, troopers wrote.

Troopers with the Criminal Suppression Unit were contacted about the break-in and found Rudolph in the driveway of the home. He was taken into custody, remanded to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility and held on $20,000 cash-only bail.

The Anchorage Police Department is asking the community for tips in locating a “dangerous” 32-year-old man with three outstanding felony warrants and two misdemeanor warrants.

Ryan Paul Nichols’ warrants relate to burglaries, thefts and violating his conditions of release. He is “known to be armed and is considered dangerous,” APD said in a statement.

Police spotted Nichols in a stolen vehicle near 41st Avenue and Hayes Street Tuesday morning, police said, but he got out of the vehicle and ran away.

He is described as 5-foot-8 and 160 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Police ask anyone with information to contact APD at 786-8900. People can also submit tips anonymously with Crime Stoppers by calling 561-STOP or by going online.

Courtesy APD

Homeowner Charles Hayes, who was able to stop the burglary suspect in his home

Retired police officer Charles Hayes was walking through his unlit home-office towards the garage door Tuesday afternoon when he saw a figure at his desk.

“There was this guy sitting on my chair, with camouflage clothing on and hat pulled down to his eyes,” Hayes recalled of the burglary. “I yelled, ‘Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?’”

After realizing the intruder had a gun in one hand, Hayes ran to his bedroom to retrieve his shotgun. Meanwhile, the intruder ran outside to the driveway, where Hayes stopped him. Hayes says he called 911 while pointing his gun at the intruder, who still had a gun in his left hand.

“He had a great big knife too,” Hayes said. “All that training I had years ago kicked in.”

After a few verbal instructions, the man dropped the gun and Hayes held him at gunpoint until troopers arrived.

Troopers arrested the suspect and identified him as 26-year-old Devin Rudolph. He was taken to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility and held on $20,000 cash-only bail for one count of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree burglary, one count of third-degree assault and two counts of second-degree theft.

Hayes says he doesn’t think Rudolph knew anyone was at home. He says he later found a bucket full of tools that the suspected burglar had gathered, leading him to believe Rudolph had been in the house 20 to 30 minutes before being discovered.

Troopers stated in an online dispatch that several items had been stolen, including the firearm used to threaten Hayes. The gun is usually kept in his truck, he says. Hayes says his external hard drive was also missing.  Troopers later recovered it in the back of the vehicle that had taken the suspect away.

Six people have been found guilty for charges related to a violent drug trafficking ring in Alaska. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska, announced the convictions at a press conference in Anchorage on Wednesday.

“I’ve seen a lot in Alaska, and I was a prosecutor in New York. This is among the most horrific violence that I’ve seen in connection with a drug trafficking organization,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Russo.

Prosecutors say the case came to light back in April 2013 through the hard work of a street cop in Valdez.

“He arrested somebody, he continued to investigate. He continued to get search warrants, ultimately getting a search warrant for a phone that troopers executed and they found this horrible rape video on it,” Russo said.

Prosecutors say the video showed 35-year-old Phosavan Khamnivong , 26-year-old Timothy Miller and 26-year-old Anoai Sialofi torturing two men at Miller’s apartment in Anchorage.

“In that video, the inhumanity that was recorded showed what lengths to which these drug dealers would go for one purpose — to collect a debt,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephan Collins.

Attorneys say 40-year-old Stuart Seugasala was the ringleader, and can be seen in the video raping the victims with a hot curling iron. Seugasala had previously served 10 years in a Seattle prison for drug charges. The three-hour long assault involved pistol whipping, cigarette burns, death threats and beatings.

“When those victims walked in to that apartment, they literally walked in through the gates of hell,” Collins said.

Investigators say the assailants previously plotted to ship more than five pounds of methamphetamine from California to Alaska in February 2013. After the U.S. Postal Service intercepted the delivery, prosecutors say the men were out of drugs and money, and began a series of home invasions, shootings and kidnappings to collect cash owed to them in other deals.

Police arrested Seugasala in June 2013. The Anchorage Police Department stopped Khamnivong in May 2013, and when they told him they were going to search his car, Khamnivong rammed his vehicle into two police cruisers and got away. U.S. Marshals found him hiding seven months later and took him into custody.

“In there they found a ‘go bag,’ a gun, drugs, money. They found an AR-15 with a double-stacked magazine, fully loaded,” Collins said.

After two trials in federal court, juries convicted six people on various charges. Seugasala and Khamnivong were convicted for drug conspiracy, kidnapping and weapons violations. Sentencings are set to take place in April and May.

Mark Charlie Jr. was arraigned on a murder charge in Bethel court. Photo by Ben Matheson / KYUK Public Media.

LeeAnn Berlin was born and raised in Kasigluk and moved to Bethel. Photo courtesy of Berlin family / KYUK Public Media.

Mark Charlie Junior was arraigned Wednesday in Bethel court on charges of first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.

The 27-year-old man was arrested in Bethel Monday in connection with the death of his girlfriend, 26-year-old LeeAnn Berlin. Magistrate Judge Bruce Ward read the charges to Charlie, who appeared by video conference from the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center.

“This is an unclassified felony, with a maximum penalty of 99 years in prison. Do you understand that?”, asked Ward.

Officers responded Monday afternoon to the BNC apartments for a welfare check after Charlie had stopped showing up for work, according to an affidavit filed in court. Upon gaining access to the apartment, Police Sergeant Amy Davis reported smelling a “strong odor”. She found Berlin under a mound of blankets and wrote that her body was beginning to decompose in the warm apartment. Davis also encountered Charlie. In the affidavit, she noted Charlie’s bloodshot eyes and thick speech. She reported finding empty bottles of alcohol and pills on the floor.

Police also found a letter from Charlie saying he was sorry to the Berlin family. In questioning by police, Charlie said he had strangled Berlin on the 17th or 18th of February after drinking with her. He said he had gotten angry at her for “nagging him and annoying him,” according to the document.

Originally from Kasigluk, Berlin, was known to her friends and family as Arna. Her brother, Michael Berlin, says she was outgoing and loved to be around her friends and family. After graduating high school in 2007, she attended the University of Alaska Anchorage for a couple of years. The then moved to Bethel, where she worked for the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation, and then Ravn Air as a ticket agent. The Berlin family says funeral arrangements are pending.

For the charge of tampering with evidence, Charlie faces up to 5 years in prison and a $50,000 fine, if convicted. Judge Ward set bail at $500,000 with a third party custodian. Mr. Charlie was appointed a public defender.

Charlie is on probation for a 2014 misdemeanor assault involving Berlin. He also has a record of assault in 2008 involving other victims. Charlie’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 6th.

This story originates from KYUK Public Media and was published with permission. 

Anchorage police are calling on the public for help identifying three suspects who allegedly beat up a cab driver in the fall, fracturing his face.

On Oct. 4, a cab driver took three occupants to multiple locations around town before dropping them off around 4:30 a.m. near Fifth Avenue and E Street, according to a statement from Anchorage Police Department spokeswoman Anita Shell. When the cab driver asked for his payment, the trio “severely assaulted the driver by punching him about the head and body,” which caused facial fractures and required hospitalization, Shell wrote.

Detectives have been working the case but believe the public may be able to identify the people involved, Shell said. Police ask anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP or submit tips online.

Courtesy APD — click to enlarge