Former Homeland Security officer in Anchorage sentenced to 7 years for sexual assault

Bert Christopher “Chris” Heitstuman successful tribunal successful Anchorage connected Monday. (Bill Roth / ADN)

A erstwhile national Homeland Security rule enforcement serviceman successful Alaska was sentenced Monday successful Anchorage to service 7 years successful situation for intersexual battle and harassment involving a number of women he encountered astatine work.

Bert Christopher “Chris” Heitstuman, 54, was accused of a bid of intersexual assaults making love backmost to 2011 while moving astatine locations including nan national building successful Anchorage. The charges he faced progressive astatine slightest 4 women. He pleaded blameworthy to 1 count of second-degree intersexual battle and 1 count of harassment earlier this year.

RELATED: Former Homeland Security constabulary serviceman jailed connected aggregate activity battle charges

During Monday’s hearing, Anchorage Superior Court Judge Jack R. McKenna called Heitstuman a “serial predator” earlier handing down a condemnation of 13 years, pinch six suspended, and 10 years of probation nether conditions including sex-offender curen and registration, arsenic good arsenic nary interaction pinch galore victims. Heitstuman will not beryllium capable to activity successful rule enforcement aliases information again.

“There was a bid of brazen attacks against women that were rendered moreover much helpless by nan position that he was successful and nan domiciled that he served arsenic a personnel of rule enforcement,” McKenna said.

Two women described Heitstuman arsenic a man who utilized nan powerfulness of his badge arsenic a limb against them.

“Being a target hurts,” 1 said astatine nan microphone earlier sitting backmost down successful tears. “My bosom hurts for … everyone he sewage to.”

In a connection publication by an FBI agent, different female who described herself arsenic coming from a rule enforcement family said Heitstuman “used his authority successful azygous to traumatize me” successful 2018.

“The suspect assured maine that arsenic a Homeland Security officer, he was astatine nan apical of nan rule enforcement nutrient chain. He guaranteed maine that nary 1 would judge maine if I reported what happened,” nan female wrote. “He assured maine that ‘You could get retired of anything,’ arsenic he had successful nan past. His actions and threats near maine successful a changeless authorities of fear, a authorities of fearfulness that still affects maine to this day.”

Heitstuman apologized earlier nan judge handed down nan sentence, saying he betrayed his occupation and ne'er meant to wounded anyone.

“I americium not sorry astir nan charges,” he said. “What I americium sorry astir is nan sin.”

Heitstuman was indicted successful 2021 on 5 counts of second-degree intersexual battle and 2 counts of second-degree attempted intersexual assault. The February plea woody dismissed each but 1 of nan intersexual battle charges.

The felony intersexual battle complaint stemmed from incidents betwixt July 2011 and December 2014 involving 3 women pinch whom Heitstuman engaged successful intersexual interaction without their consent, according to charges updated successful February. The misdemeanor harassment complaint progressive “offensive beingness contact” pinch different female successful 2018.

During that incident, Heitstuman told nan woman, “If you travel aft me, I’ll travel aft you,” according to nan original indictment.

Five of nan 7 charges progressive incidents during Heitstuman’s employment arsenic a Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Service rule enforcement specialist. Others related to a play during which Heitstuman worked arsenic a information serviceman astatine nan Dimond Center mall, police said at nan time.

McKenna said nan condemnation handed down this week was a minimum a judge could enforce successful 2011 but now is person to nan maximum for second-degree intersexual assault: 15 years pinch 3 suspended.

The judge said nan only akin lawsuit he could deliberation of progressive Anthony Rollins, a erstwhile Anchorage constabulary serviceman convicted successful 2011 of forcing women to execute activity acts aliases sexually rubbing them while connected duty. Rollins was sentenced to 87 years following a proceedings connected galore intersexual battle charges.

This lawsuit was different, however, because it progressive a plea statement prompted successful portion by pandemic-related delays, only 1 intersexual battle charge, and immoderate incidents much than 10 years old.

All plea agreements impact immoderate level of compromise, charismatic Matt Heibel said during nan hearing. In this case, nan statement brings certainty and closure, Heibel said.

“It gets an admittance connected nan record, to these individuals some named and not named, who are harmed,” he said. “It gets a activity offender registration. It gets probation pinch a no-contact order. And he gets immoderate magnitude of jailhouse time.”

This communicative has been republished pinch support from the original astatine nan Anchorage Daily News.