A Wasilla man was sentenced in court on Friday for defrauding 38 people out of roughly $8,000 by pretending to be associated with a non-existent flight service.
Superior Court Judge Michael Corey sentenced 48-year-old Kenneth Jenks to serve four years for second-degree theft and pay restitution to the victims, amounting to $8,017, according to court records.
Alaska State Troopers arrested Jenks in August after a months-long investigation into a Mat-Su Valley scam revealed Jenks “had been contacting local businesses and small business owners, pretending to be associated with a fictitious flight service,” known as “Alaska Adventures Air Service,” according to an online trooper dispatch. Jenks used different aliases to “borrow” money for various reasons.
Jenks was originally charged with theft and scheming to defraud more than five victims. He changed his original plea to guilty the same day as his sentencing as part of a plea deal.
Troopers said “Jenks has a known history of forgeries and thefts in his past,” dating back to at least 2003.
