Criminal Division (Prosecution)

Municipal Prosecutor: Dennis Wheeler (Appointed 2024 )

The Criminal Division prosecutes criminal violations of Municipal Code within the city.  Prosecutors investigate and prosecute thousands of violations each year. The Municipality Prosecutor’s Office also handles all appeals in municipal criminal cases and suggests changes to ordinances that are frequently prosecuted.

Criminal violations frequently investigated and prosecuted include:

Driving Under the Influence (DUI), Driving While License Suspended/Revoked/Cancelled (DWLS/R/C), and Driving Without Insurance (DWOI) charges against the driver
Domestic Violence
Assault
Thefts
Vehicle tampering

Public Defenders:

The Municipality provides independent defense counsel to all indigent defendants through the State of Alaska Public Defender Agency. If you are a defendant in a municipal prosecution and need information on your defense, please contact the Public Defender Agency at 907-334-4400 or visit http://pda.doa.alaska.gov/home/.

Note regarding DUI, DWLS/R/C, and DWOI charges:

Even if a vehicle is released/declined by Impounds, criminal charges against the driver may still be ongoing, and the driver may still need to show up for arraignment.  The judge may issue a bench warrant to arrest the driver if they do not show up at their arraignment.