Photo of Aaron Fedolfi in his police uniform standing next to a Bethel Police Department vehicle
This story originates from KYUK Public Media and was published with permission
BETHEL – A former Bethel Police officer has been charged with attempted sexual assault, according to press release from the Attorney General’s office Thursday.
The Office of Special Prosecutions is charging former Police Officer Aaron Fedolfi, 23, with one count of third degree attempted sexual assault by a police officer and one count of third degree official misconduct.
Fedolfi is currently at-large and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Fedolfi attempted to sexually assault a person while the individual was in his custody, according to the press release.
In early September, Fedolfi stopped a woman walking down Ridgecrest Drive, according to charging documents. He took her to an area near the Bethel dog pound and attempted to force her to perform oral sex on him.
The woman “told Fedolfi to stop, and asked if he had ‘done this before’ at which point Fedolfi took his hands off her head,” according to charging documents.
The woman was able to run away and eventually reported the crime to the Alaska State Troopers. Fedolfi was one of two officers on duty that night.
After the incident was reported, Fedolfi was placed on administrative leave, according to a BPD press release Thursday evening. While on leave, Fedolfi notified the city of his resignation.
“Since that time the City has had no contact with Mr. Fedolfi other than to process his final paycheck,” according to the release.
A subsequent investigation revealed footage from Fili’s Pizza, a local pizzeria in town. The footage shows that in the early morning of Sept. 12, a BPD vehicle pulled over and stopped near a pedestrian. The pedestrian got in the vehicle and then the car headed in the general direction of the dog pound.
In an initial interview with investigators, Fedolfi said the victim was lying. But when pressed in a second interview, his story changed.
“Feldolfi claimed he had forgotten to tell troopers that he had picked up an intoxicated male,” according to the documents. However, when the interviewer told Fedolfi he had video footage, his story changed again. The video clearly showed the woman getting into his police vehicle.
Fedolfi claimed the woman had been sexual provocative toward him. Fedolfi said he’d lied to investigators about being in contact with her. He denied any sexual assault or attempted sexual assault, saying he sped away from the area so people wouldn’t see her in his car.
He says he later forcibly removed the woman from his vehicle, after she refused to get out. Fedolfi couldn’t explain to the investigator why he hadn’t followed BPD protocol–he didn’t record his interaction with the woman on his personal body camera or over the radio with police dispatch.
“Fedolfi is presumed innocent of these charges unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” according to the press release.
Police say anyone with information about Fedolfi’s whereabouts should contact the Alaska Bureau of Investigation at (907) 269-5611.
Clarification: The report was made to the Alaska State Troopers
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect information from the Bethel Police Department’s press release and quotes from the charging documents.
