Soldotna resident and former Peninsula Martial Arts teacher Michael Dean Hancock pleaded not guilty to various charges of sexual abuse of a minor and unlawful exploitation of a minor in Kenai court Thursday.
Hancock was indicted by a Kenai Grand Jury on February 3 for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the First Degree, one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the Second Degree, and three counts of Unlawful Exploitation of a Minor.
Originally he was indicted by an Anchorage Grand Jury on January 14 according to Assistant Attorney General Adam Alexander…
Alexander: “Thirteen counts related to the possession and distribution of images of child sexual exploitation.”
He faces a potential sentence of two to 99 years in jail on each of the 13 counts of child pornography if convicted.
In Kenai, Hancock faces 20-99 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 for First Degree Sexual Abuse of a minor. For the charges of Second Degree Sexual Abuse and Unlawful Exploitation of a Minor he faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of $100,000 each.
Hancock’s trial is set for the week of April 18.
On February 3, the Alaska Bureau of investigation asked that anyone with information regarding potential victims of Hancock to contact Soldotna Investigator Vince Peronto at 907-260-2709.
