An Anchorage man, Richard Dougherty, 43, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for producing and possessing child pornography involving multiple minors known to him. The sentencing took place on December 2, 2025.
Court documents reveal that Dougherty began sexually abusing a minor under the age of 16 in 2017. He created photos and videos documenting the abuse. Between January 2003 and April 2023, he possessed, accessed with intent to view, received, and distributed child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), including visual depictions of his own abuse of the minor victim. Investigators found that Dougherty knowingly possessed over 600 images of CSAM.
Dougherty pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025, to one count each of production and possession of child pornography.
“Mr. Dougherty’s crimes are despicable and perverse. This 30-year sentence ensures that the public and Alaska’s children are protected from his deviancy for the maximum number of years permitted under the law,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman. “I want to commend the survivors for showing extraordinary strength. I also want to thank U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Alaska State Troopers for their diligent investigative work that helped bring this case to justice. We will continue to work together to hold accountable predators who target our children.”
Alaska State Troopers Colonel Maurice Hughes stated: “The exploitation of children is one of the most reprehensible crimes that we encounter. The Alaska State Troopers will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect Alaskans, keep our children safe, and hold offenders accountable.”
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) alongside the Alaska State Troopers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a Department of Justice initiative started in May 2006—to address child sexual exploitation by coordinating resources among federal, state, and local agencies nationwide in order to identify perpetrators using online platforms as well as rescue victims (https://www.justice.gov/psc).
