Trooper charged with sexual assault
By Margaret Friedenauer
Staff Writer
Published May 7, 2007
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

A local Alaska State Trooper is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl while he was off-duty.

Trooper Junior Anthony, 35, was arraigned Sunday on two charges of second-degree sexual assault. He was arrested at his North Pole home on Saturday.

At the arraignment, bail was set at $50,000 and a preliminary hearing in Superior Court was scheduled for May 16. Anthony did not enter a plea in the District Court arraignment.

The alleged assault took place late last month, according to court documents. Anthony is an acquaintance of the girl’s family and was alone with her at her North Pole home at the time, authorities said.

Anthony is accused of kissing and touching the girl, who told investigators she had not consented to his actions. Anthony left the home after the girl moved his hands away and locked herself in her bedroom.

The girl reported the incident to friends and her mother, according to investigators. The Alaska Bureau of Investigation, an agency within the troopers, conducted a criminal investigation.

In recorded phone conversations, Anthony did not deny the allegations when confronted by the girl but denied any sexual contact occurred when confronted by the girl’s mother, according to the court documents. He indicated he intended to resign from his job as a trooper.

When interviewed by investigators, Anthony corroborated most of the girl’s statements, the court records stated.

Anthony participated in his arraignment via a video conference from the Fairbanks Correctional Center. When District judge Winston Burbank asked him if he had any comments about bail, Anthony replied, “I know I made a mistake.”

Attorney Teresa Foster with the Office of Special Prosecutions requested the $50,000 bail because of the nature of the case and Anthony’s position as a trooper. Foster also said she considered Anthony a flight risk, although he has a home and child in the area.

Foster indicated Anthony, who joined the troopers in August 2004, had resigned from his job, or planned to do so by today.

Anthony, who has no criminal record, was placed on paid leave after his arrest, but his status will be reviewed by the department today, trooper spokesman Tim Despain said.

If convicted, Anthony would face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of second-degree sexual assault.