SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 ANCHORAGE – The recent sentencing of Justin Schneider highlighted a loophole in Alaska’s longstanding sex offense laws.
Schneider entered a plea agreement for felony assault after he strangled and masturbated on an unconscious woman. For at least a decade, causing unwanted contact with semen has not been considered a sex offense under Alaska law.
Governor Bill Walker is proposing a fix in the upcoming legislative session, as well as several other policy changes to better empower law enforcement officials and the criminal justice system to address the scourge of sexual violence in Alaska.
“Any reasonable person would think the disturbing and offensive actions of Mr. Schneider qualify as a sex offense,” Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth said. “The law needs to be fixed.”
“Every victim deserves justice. This sort of outcome makes it even more difficult for victims to come forward. The punishment in this case in no way matched the severity of the crime,” Governor Walker said. “We must fix this problem immediately, and we will.”
Next week, in an update to the Public Safety Action Plan (“PSAP”), Governor Walker will release legislation that makes causing unwanted contact with semen a sex offense. The penalty for a first-time offense carries jail time of two to twelve years and requires registration as a sex offender.
Other public safety legislation will be announced by October 1 as part of the PSAP update.
Governor Proposes Fix to Loophole in Alaska’s Sex Offense Laws added by Austin Baird | State of Alaska on
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