Judge dismisses sex-crime charges against former acting Alaska attorney general

An Alaska Superior Court judge on Friday dismissed sex-crime charges against former acting attorney general Ed Sniffen, saying in a 17-page order that prosecutors brought the case too late.

The order was first published by the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica, whose joint investigation sparked Sniffen’s resignation from state office and a subsequent investigation.

It was not immediately clear whether the state, which hired special prosecutor Gregg Olson to bring the case, will appeal.

“The order is still being reviewed. No decision has been made yet,” said Patty Sullivan, a special assistant to Attorney General Treg Taylor and a spokesperson for the department.

Sniffen’s attorney, Jeffrey Robinson, declined to comment on Monday. Olson did not respond to an email seeking comment.

A grand jury indicted Sniffen in September on three felonies linked to an alleged sexual relationship between Sniffen and a 17-year-old in 1991. At the time, Sniffen was 27 and a coach of the West Anchorage High School mock trial team. The 17-year-old was a participant on the team.

Alaska currently has no statute of limitations for felony sexual abuse of the minor, but at the time of Sniffen’s alleged crime, state law required that charges be brought within five years.

In Friday’s order, Judge Peter Ramgren ruled in favor of a dismissal motion brought by Robinson, who said the five-year statute of limitations should apply.

“Mr. Sniffen’s conduct is still governed by the five-year statute of limitations in place in 1991,” Ramgren wrote. “Because this period has lapsed, his indictment must be dismissed.”