Child sexual abuse

Ex-Alaska Mayor Indicted on 47 Counts of Sexual Assault

Is this one predator's decade-plus betrayal of community trust, or just the part that's been uncovered?

Published JUN 30

Ex-Alaska Mayor Indicted on 47 Counts of Sexual Assault

Story

Above: Ulric Jeffery Ulroan. Image credit: State of Alaska Department of Public Safety

The Facts

A Bethel grand jury on June 23 indicted Ulric Jeffery Ulroan, 48, on 47 counts, including first-degree sexual assault, first- and second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, indecent exposure and furnishing alcohol to a person under 21.
Alaska Department of Public Safety
Anchorage Daily News
The Alaska Bureau of Investigation received a tip in January that Ulroan had sexually abused a 17-year-old girl in Chevak between 2009 and 2010. Additional women came forward during the investigation, with alleged offenses spanning multiple communities through 2025.
Alaska Watchman
guardian
Lead Investigator Brian Wassmann confirmed at least six victims are named in the indictment. Troopers said alleged crimes occurred primarily in Chevak, with others in Mountain Village, Anchorage and Nome, where an investigation remains ongoing.
Alaska's News Source
KNOM Radio Mission
Ulroan served as mayor of Chevak around 2007 and later as vice mayor in 2021. He also held roles at the Kashunamiut School District, including activities director, basketball coach and shop instructor, and was a certified foster parent from 2005 to 2023. More recently, Ulroan had been living in Nome, where he worked as a pilot for regional flight provider Bering Air.
KNOM Radio Mission
Alaska's News Source
guardian
Ulroan and his wife, Mary, were named Parents of the Year by the Alaska Federation of Natives in 2019. In a statement following her husband's arrest, Mary called it an "extremely painful time" and said her first priority is the well-being of those affected and her children's privacy.
guardian
KNOM Radio Mission
Ulroan was arrested on June 24 and is being held at Anvil Mountain Correctional Center in Nome with bail set at $250,000. Alaska State Troopers believe additional victims may exist and have asked anyone with information to call.
Alaska's News Source
Alaska Watchman

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

The scope of Ulric Jeffery Ulroan's alleged crimes spans multiple Alaskan communities and nearly 16 years, with charges ranging from sexual abuse of a minor to furnishing alcohol to minors. Several counts are unclassified felonies — the most serious category under Alaska law. Alleged conduct in Nome remains under active investigation, meaning the full extent of the harm done may not yet be known.

KNOM Radio Mission

Narrative B

A man celebrated as a community leader and "Parent of the Year" allegedly spent years abusing teenage girls while holding positions of trust and authority. Ulric Jeffery Ulroan's 47-count indictment exposes how predators exploit institutional roles — foster care, coaching, local government — to access victims. Prosecutors believe more victims exist, and anyone with information should come forward now.

The Daily Star