Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Karen Loeffler announced today that two Bethel men were indicted by a federal grand jury in Anchorage, each were indicted for being felons in possession of a firearm and for being unregistered persons in possession of a short-barreled rifle that required registration.

The four-count indictment names Charles Chaney, 26, and Alexie Alfred, 23, both residents of Bethel, Alaska, as the defendants.

According to the indictment, Chaney and Alfred are charged with being convicted felons who are alleged to have possessed a short-barreled rifle that required registration. The allegations in the indictment originate from an incident in Bethel where a Bethel Police vehicle was stolen in December 2009.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.

Both defendants are currently in custody pending trial.

These individuals are being prosecuted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska’s Rural Prosecution Initiative, a part of the Department of Justice’s commitment to improved public safety for rural Alaska and Alaskan tribal communities.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Alaska State Troopers, and the Bethel Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Return to Top