Alaska Sex Offender Sentenced for Failure to Register

Anchorage, Alaska – Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Sterling Bolima, 43, of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to 18 months in prison, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release, for failing to register as a sex offender.

According to documents filed in this case and arguments made at yesterday’s sentencing, Bolima was convicted in 1998 by the State of Alaska for Sexual Abuse of a Minor. As a result of this conviction, the defendant was required to register as a sex offender in Alaska and any other location in which he lived, worked, or attended school.

Between 1998 and 2011, while living in Juneau and Nome, the defendant failed to register on three separate occasions. In 2012, Bolima flew to Seattle and took up residence in Washington State. The defendant failed to update Alaskan authorities with his new address, nor did he register with Washington officials upon his arrival. The defendant lived in an unregistered status until August 2016, when he was indicted by a federal Grand Jury and arrested by United States Marshals.

In pronouncing his sentence, Judge Burgess sought to “provide some sort of deterrence to criminal conduct.” According to Judge Burgess, “[this sentence is intended to] make sure Mr. Bolima understands what he has to do as far as registration goes. And to understand that there are serious consequences if he doesn’t.” Judge Burgess warned the defendant about the failure to register in the future. “If you don’t, you’re going to spend a lot more time in jail,” said Judge Burgess.

The case was the product of an investigation by the United States Marshal’s Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Reardon prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing Project Safe Childhood initiative which was launched to increase federal prosecutions of sexual predators of children, and to reduce the number of Internet crimes against children including child pornography trafficking. As a part of PSC, the United States Attorney’s Office has teamed with state and local agencies and organizations to increase law enforcement presence on the Internet, and to educate the public about safe Internet use, thereby reducing the risk that children might fall prey to online sexual predators. For additional information on the PSC initiative, please go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov or call the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska and ask to speak with the PSC coordinator.