ANCHORAGE – A rural Alaska man was sentenced to 30 years in prison Monday after shooting and injuring a village peace officer.
Gary Ballot attempted to bring alcohol into Buckland, a dry community, last summer, according to a statement from prosecutors.
On July 26, 2013, investigators learned Ballot was traveling from Kotzebue to Buckland in a 22-foot skiff bearing alcohol for a wedding at a fish camp, prosecutors said.
VPOs tried to contact Ballot before his arrival and intercept the alcohol. Ballot tussled with the VPOs and armed himself with a “high-powered rifle,” prosecutors said.
VPO Loren Geary unsuccessfully tried to disarm Ballot, who then shot Geary, shattering his left elbow. The bullet went in Geary’s stomach and lodged in his right hip, according to prosecutors.
Geary still managed to disarm Ballot and detain him until Alaska State Troopers arrived and arrested Ballot.
Troopers seized 7.5 gallons of distilled spirits, nearly 19 gallons of malt beverage and more than five liters of wine from Ballot’s boat.
Ballot was also placed on supervised probation for 10 years following his release from prison, prosecutors said. If he fails on probation, however, the court can then impose another 20 years of prison under the sentence. He pled guilty to one count of first-degree attempted murder, one consolidated count of third-degree assault and one felony count of importation of alcohol.