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Lottery winner had troubled past before sexual abuse convictions

by Jill Burke
Monday, January 12, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- This weekend Alaska watched an American dream unfold and then unravel -- a rags-to-riches tale of a hard-luck guy turned big lotto winner.

But far from the clean fairy tale told in books and movies, the story of Alec Ahsoak includes a dark past. He is an imperfect winner, a sexual abuser of children who says he, too, suffered childhood abuse.

When Ahsoak won a half-million dollars in a raffle held to benefit rape awareness, he was ecstatic -- and ready to reach out to others.

"The Bible said to be friendly, have friends. I help everybody I can," Ahsoak said Saturday.

Ahsoak brought a troubled past to his big win.

"I grew up without mom and dad," he said. "I have my sisters to take care of."

Orphaned at age 4, court records show he grew up in the Jesse Lee Home for Children in Seward and bounced through foster care.

By 17 he was an alcoholic. He passed 12th grade and was in special education classes. He spent four years in the Army and attended Bible school. By age 38 he was living with friends.

And for nearly two years he sexually abused two young girls inside that home, according to prosecutors.

Ahsoak admitted he did it. He told the judge he was sorry and asked for forgiveness. He also revealed that he, too, had suffered childhood abuse and that he "knows how it stays with you."

When sentencing Ahsoak, the judge noted that he "... (did) not appear to understand the sexuality involved, or the gravity of what he did."

Seven years later it happened again. While babysitting several children, Ahsoak hurt a 7-year-old girl.

In that case, detectives say he again admitted the abuse and said he "... has problems with adult women ..." and has "... turned his affection to children."

The raffle, if it makes a profit, will benefit the group Standing Together Against Rape. The group hopes there's a silver lining in the headlines.

"I was stunned. It was not the way we had envisioned it," said Nancy Haag, STAR's executive director. "The stronger our message is as time goes forward, the further away I hope we get from sexual assault in our community and being No. 1."

As for his winnings, Ahsoak believes there's a higher power at work.

"I thank him because he blesses me, because I bless him. I would rather lift him up," Ahsoak said as he pointed skyward.

As for what he should do with all that new money, that depends on who you ask.

"You know that is between him and his God," Haag said. "I don't know. I don't know."

Ahsoak is on probation. He got out of prison most recently in March and is currently in a treatment program for sexual offenders. Over the weekend he said he would give $100,000 of his winnings to STAR.

Channel 2 News tried repeatedly to speak with him a second time, but he has not returned any calls.

It's not clear how this incident will impact future raffles. STAR says that with the highest rate of sexual abuse in the nation, chances are good a winner or ticket buyer will be either a victim or an offender, and it's not sure how to feel about restricting future events.

For now, the event operator, Lucky Times Pull Tabs, does plan to move forward with another big raffle beginning later this month.

Contact Jill Burke at jburke@ktuu.com