July 22, 2026
(Bethel, AK) – On June 29, 2026, Bethel Superior Court Judge Will Montgomery sentenced 27-year-old Matt Atcherian to 60 years to serve across two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the First Degree, followed by 30 years of suspended time and 20 years of supervision. Atcherian will be required to register as a sex offender.
After two days of jury selection, Atcherian elected to proceed to a trial by judge, which was held on March 23, 2026. After listening to the witnesses presented and arguments of counsel, Judge Montgomery found Atcherian guilty on both counts as charged, as well as an aggravator that increased the range of punishment.
The convictions stemmed from conduct occurring in June 2020. Atcherian had been entrusted to care for a particularly vulnerable child under 13 years of age. When the parents of the child discovered evidence of injuries, they took the child to a clinic and ultimately reported the incident to law enforcement.
At sentencing, the child’s mother gave a powerful victim statement, describing the impact Atcherian’s actions had on the child and the people who love her.
The case was prosecuted by Bethel Assistant District Attorney Jason Sorensen and former Bethel Assistant District Attorney Chad Woolley, with assistance from paralegals Tiana Williams and Monica Thompson. The case was investigated by the Alaska State Troopers.
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Department Media Contact: Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.
Due to resource constraints, we no longer post links to referenced records. Records filed in a federal court are readily available at Docket Search or PACER, and records filed in a State of Alaska court are readily available from the Alaska Court System (Trial Courts - Alaska Court System and Search for an Appellate Case). Contact Sam Curtis to request a referenced record that is not readily available from a court or on the internet, or contact law.recordsrequest@alaska.gov to submit a formal Alaska Public Records Act request.
