Former Alaska AG pick indicted, accused of sex with 17-year-old in 1991

Former Alaska Attorney General-designee Ed Sniffen was indicted Monday by an Anchorage grand jury on three counts of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor. 

Sniffen is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Anchorage Superior Court, accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl in 1991.

The relationship was first reported in 2021 following a joint investigation between the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica. 

At the time, Sniffen was acting as attorney general following the resignation of Attorney General Kevin Clarkson amid sexual harassment allegations uncovered by a different Daily News and ProPublica investigation.

Sniffen resigned days after Gov. Mike Dunleavy had appointed him Clarkson’s successor and as the Daily News was preparing to publish an article about the allegations.

Dunleavy has said he was unaware of the allegations against Sniffen and instructed incoming Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor to appoint a special investigator.

Investigator Gregg Olson, recommended three charges against Sniffen in May, leading to Sniffen’s indictment this week.

An attorney representing Sniffen was out of the office and unavailable for comment, his receptionist said Wednesday morning.

Olson offered only limited comments on Wednesday, saying that he expects the case to go to a jury and does not want to prejudice potential jurors.