This story contains descriptions of lewd acts that may not be appropriate for all readers.
33-year-old Vance Wolford of Homer was sentenced on Wednesday, Aug. 28, by Superior Court Judge Bride Seifert to 25 years with 10 years suspended for attempted first-degree sexual assault. Wolford was found guilty by a Homer jury of that crime, plus seven others, following a 5-day trial in May.
The evidence presented at trial showed that on May 21, 2022, Wolford aggressively propositioned two women who he did not know. He was convicted of criminal trespass and stalking for coming back to the first woman’s residence after he propositioned her and she told him to leave. Wolford was sentenced to 90 days in prison for each of those charges.
The evidence also showed that 20 minutes later, Wolford aggressively propositioned another woman he did not know in the parking lot of a Homer business. The woman told him she was not interested and left in her vehicle. Wolford got in his vehicle and followed her onto her property to her remote driveway, where he attacked her and tried to pull her out of her vehicle. She was able to fight him off and prevent herself from being pulled out of her vehicle or sexually assaulted and even managed to connect a 911 call to her Bluetooth as Wolford was attacking her.
When Wolford heard her 911 call connect and heard her tell the troopers where she was and that she needed help because a strange man was trying to rape her, Wolford stopped trying to pull her out of the vehicle and instead masturbated outside. This allowed her to escape him and drive away and get help from the Alaska State Troopers.
Homer Police, who were already looking for him because of the description of him from the first woman that he approached that night, learned of the second incident and quickly apprehended Wolford before he could drive out of Homer.
For the attack on the second woman, Wolford was sentenced to 25 years with 10 years suspended for attempted first-degree sexual assault and 4 years with 2 years suspended for indecent exposure. When Wolford is released, he will be required to register as a sex offender for life and will be on felony probation for 17 years. He was also sentenced to an additional 180 days for criminal trespass and an additional 180 days for stalking.
At sentencing, Judge Seifert said that Wolford’s offenses were the things of nightmares, not just for women but for dads and brothers, and others. She said lengthy periods of isolation and probation were necessary. Judge Seifert also stated that both women Wolford committed crimes against were strong, resilient, and resourceful. But for the actions of the first woman, Wolford may not have been caught, while the second woman did everything in her power to prevent herself from being sexually assaulted.
Assistant District Attorney Jon Iannaccone represented the State at trial and sentencing.
