October 17, 2024
(Bethel, AK) – On Oct. 15, Superior Court Judge Nelson Traverso sentenced Joseph Kashatok, 67, of Kipnuk Alaska, to serve 79 years in prison for possession of child pornography.
On Feb. 2, 2024, a Bethel jury convicted Kashatok of two counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Based on Kashatok’s criminal history, Kashatok faced a presumptive sentence of 99 years in prison. The State argued that the judge was required to impose the 99-year sentence based on statute. Judge Traverso mitigated Kashatok’s sentence after he found that Kashatok cooperated with law enforcement in identifying other potential sexual predators. The court also found that two aggravating factors applied to Kashatok: that Mr. Kashatok’s prior felony convictions was of a more serious class of offense than the present offense; and that Mr. Kashatok had three or more prior felony convictions. Judge Traverso issued a sentence of 79 years to serve on the first count, with one additional day to serve on the second count.
The case was prosecuted at trial by Assistant Attorney General Chris Darnall. The sentencing prosecutor was Assistant Attorney General Maggie Burgess of the Office of Special Prosecutions. Investigators from the Alaska State Troopers’ Alaska Bureau of Investigations (“ABI”) Technical Crimes Unit (“TCU”) conducted the investigation with assistance from members of the local Bethel Alaska State Troopers Post and the Penning County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota.
CONTACT: Assistant Attorney General Maggie Burgess, at (907) 269-6250 or maggie.burgess@alaska.gov.
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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.
