(Bethel, AK) – Tuesday, the former Mayor of Pilot Station, 68-year-old Arthur Sammy Heckman, Sr., was sentenced for one felony conviction of Unlawful Interference with an Election for inducing or attempting to induce an election official to fail in the official’s duty through the use of force, threat, intimidation, or offers of reward. Heckman pled guilty to the charge on Nov. 14, 2024.

Heckman was sentenced by Bethel Superior Court Judge Nathanial Peters to 12 months of incarceration with 12 months suspended, and five years of probation. When accepting the plea agreement and imposing the sentence, Judge Peters emphasized the sentencing goals of rehabilitation, deterrence, and restoration of the community, specifically the community’s ability to trust their government and government officials. In his statement to the court, Heckman apologized to the community, but said he did not understand that his actions were wrong. Judge Peters stated he did not find this portion of Heckman’s statement to be credible, citing that in 2013, the Calista Corporation publicly censured Heckman for similar conduct when he served on the Board of Directors.

Heckman was indicted in July 2024 on eight felony charges and eight misdemeanor charges for misconduct involving the 2022 and 2023 Pilot Station municipal elections while Heckman was serving as Acting Mayor. The remaining charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Heckman began serving as Acting Mayor of Pilot Station after the death of former Mayor Nicky Myers in May 2022. Under the Pilot Station Municipal Code, Heckman should have served as Acting Mayor until the October 2022 municipal election, when a mayor would be officially elected by the newly-seated City Council. Immediately after the October 2022 election, Heckman directed City Clerk Ruthie Borromeo to place the ballots in a locked filing cabinet and not allow them to be counted. In October 2023, Heckman directed Borromeo not to hold a municipal election in Pilot Station. During this time, Heckman continued to serve as Mayor.

This misconduct was brought to the attention of the Office of Special Prosecutions and the Alaska State Troopers by concerned Pilot Station citizens, specifically late City Council Member Anita M. Myers, and by the Local Government Specialists for the region. 

This case was investigated by Sergeant Nathan Bucknall of the Alaska State Troopers’ Alaska Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Erin McCarthy of the Office of Special Prosecutions.

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