David Anderson, a 52-year-old man from Alaska, has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for the kidnapping and sexual assault of a teenager. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed the sentence on Wednesday, indicating that Anderson is likely to spend the remainder of his life in prison. This federal sentence follows an 85-year sentence handed down by an Alaska superior court judge in October on charges from the State of Alaska Department of Law.
The case revolves around a chilling incident that took place on a cold November afternoon in 2022. A 14-year-old girl had just disembarked from her school bus in Wasilla, Alaska, and was walking home when Anderson approached her in his car, claiming to be lost. He managed to coax the girl into his vehicle, where he threatened her with a revolver and forced her to pretend to smoke from a meth pipe.
Anderson then restrained the girl with duct tape, covered her head with a blanket, physically assaulted her, and sexually abused her. He subsequently fired his revolver in her direction, left her in a wooded area, dismantled the gun, and drove off, presuming she was dead. However, the girl survived the ordeal, chewed through the duct tape, and sought help on a nearby road. Anderson was arrested the following day and held at the Anchorage Correctional Complex.
The victim participated remotely in Anderson’s federal sentencing hearing, which concluded this week. Anderson, a registered sex offender since 2022 following a conviction for sexually assaulting a minor in 2000, reportedly struggled with methamphetamine addiction. After his arrest, he confessed to investigators that he had “let the monster out.”
Anderson’s state conviction last year resulted from a plea agreement that dismissed charges such as attempted murder. His crimes, described as “unimaginable” by authorities, have led to widespread relief at his imprisonment. U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman for the District of Alaska praised the survivor’s bravery and the investigative efforts of the Alaska State Troopers and FBI.
Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes echoed these sentiments, stating that the combined federal and state sentences ensure Anderson will never be able to harm another child in their community. Wasilla, where the crime occurred, is a small city located about 40 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city.