Wasilla man sentenced to 50 years for kidnapping, sexually assaulting child in 2022

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Wasilla man was sentenced today to 50 years in prison and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Wasilla.

According to court documents, on Nov. 2, 2022, a 14-year-old girl exited a school bus in Wasilla and started walking home. A dark colored vehicle driven by David Anderson, 52, drove past the victim and turned around to head back toward her. Anderson pulled up alongside the victim and coerced her into the vehicle before pointing a revolver at her. Anderson covered the victim’s head with a blanket, punched her at least once in the face and bound her hands with duct tape.

Anderson drove the victim to a remote area where he stopped the car and led the victim into the woods with the blanket still over her head. Anderson proceeded to forcibly sexually assault the victim. After assaulting her, Anderson stood over her, shielded his eyes, and randomly shot at her with the revolver. Without checking to see if she was dead, he then left her in the woods and drove away. After leaving the woods, he disassembled the revolver and threw the pieces into a nearby river.

Once Anderson left, the victim freed herself from the restraints before walking out of the woods to flag down a passing vehicle. The Alaska State Troopers arrested Anderson later that day based on descriptions and statements from the victim.

An investigation revealed that on the day of the incident, Anderson decided to grab his revolver and go out looking for a victim. At the time of the offense, Anderson was a convicted sex offender following another conviction in 2000 for sexually assaulting a minor.

On Jan. 13, 2025, Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping a minor and one count of committing an offense as a registered sex offender. In handing down the sentence, the Court recognized both the depravity of Anderson’s conduct and the bravery of the survivor.  

Anderson was also charged by the State of Alaska Department of Law for his offense. He was sentenced on Oct. 7, 2024, and is currently serving an 85-year state sentence.

“Mr. Anderson perpetrated an unimaginable random act of horror and will spend the rest of his life in the only appropriate place, prison,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “The survivor showed extraordinary bravery in escaping this horror and the Alaska State Troopers and FBI mounted an incredible investigation to hold this predator accountable.”

“Today’s federal sentence, combined with the State of Alaska’s sentence of 85 years means that this violent man will never be released back into our community to victimize another Alaskan child,” said Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes. “Your Alaska State Troopers most important duty is to protect our most vulnerable, and this case stands as a powerful example of how federal and state law enforcement can work together to bring the full weight of justice to bear.”

“While walking home from school, an innocent child was violently kidnapped and assaulted – not only was this a horrific attack on a child, but also on the very fabric of our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “I commend this young survivor’s extraordinary courage, along with the special agents, prosecutors, and law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to ensure this dangerous predator will never walk free or harm another child again.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Alaska State Troopers investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI's Joint Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (J-CARD) Team. The FBI’s J-CARD Team consists of specially trained investigators and intelligence personnel from the FBI, Alaska State Troopers, and Anchorage Police Department who are experienced in child abduction cases and can rapidly deploy anywhere in the state. The team is designed to provide investigative, technical, and resource assistance to state and local law enforcement during the most critical time following a child abduction.

Assistant U.S. Attorney's Chris Schroeder and Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.

UPDATE: This release has been updated to correct the defendant's age. The correct age is 52.

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