On Tuesday, Oct. 13, a jury found a former Kodiak corrections officer guilty of sexual assault in the third degree for a 2022 incident with a female inmate.
27-year-old Fredrick Fangonilo worked as a corrections officer at the Kodiak Jail, housed inside the police department, from 2019 to 2023.
The incident occurred in March of 2022 when the unnamed victim was the only female prisoner at the facility.
Charging documents say Fangonilo initiated a flirtatious relationship with the female inmate before he asked her to “hook up.” Fangonilo brought the victim to an area in the washing room, with no video surveillance, to clean a drain behind the washing machines. That’s where the Alaska Department of Law says he had the woman perform oral sex on him.
Prisoners can’t legally consent to sexual contact with correctional employees. The victim reported the sexual assault to the Kodiak Police Department in 2023, and Fangonilo was charged and arrested on May 10 of 2023.
Fangonilo’s attorney, John Henry Roberson III, did not respond to KMXT’s request for comment before the publishing of this story.
The department placed the former corrections officer on administrative leave around that time in May of 2023. Acting Kodiak Police Chief Francis De La Fuente said in a text message that Fangonilo’s abuse of power was unacceptable and, “corrections officers are entrusted with the safety and well-being of those in their custody.”
Samantha Talley, who worked for the Kodiak Police Department as a detective until May of this year, led the investigation, according to the state Department of Law
Fangonilo is awaiting sentencing following a week-and-a-half-long trial in Kodiak. He faces up to 12 years in prison. After he serves his sentence, Fangolino will also be required to register as a sex offender for 15 years.
