A 22-year-old Fairbanks man was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for sexually assaulting a friend in 2021.
Harrison Attla, 22, was charged with one count each of second-degree and third-degree sexual assault in May, 2022. He pleaded guilty to third-degree sexual assault in August, 2022.
On April 11, 2021, Attla hosted a party for his 21st birthday. The victim, a close friend of his, drank several beers, smoked cannabis concentrate and went to sleep in Attla’s bed. Attla later got in bed with the woman and tried to kiss her but she told him that she was too intoxicated to have sex. When she awoke the next morning, she “noticed something felt wrong around her genitals” and reported the incident to Fairbanks police, according to charging documents.
During an interview with police, Attla reportedly admitted to touching the woman and acknowledged that she had told him no earlier in the night.
“Temptation got the best of him,” defense attorney Kenneth Covell told the court. He added that the offense was situational and it’s very unlikely that situation would happen again.
Assistant District Attorney Andrew Baldock said he hoped the sentence would deter Attla and others from committing the same offense. He noted that Alaska has the highest rate of sexual assault in the U.S.
When asked if he wanted to make a statement before his sentencing, Attla admitted that he sexually assaulted the victim after his birthday party and apologized for his actions and the trauma he caused her.
“What I did was unforgivable and I have no excuses for what happened that night,” Attla told the court. “I’m prepared for any sentencing the court finds reasonable.”
Superior Court Justice Patricia Haines sentenced Attla to 15 years with 10 suspended and seven years of probation.
Contact Haley Lehman at 907-459-7575 or by email at hlehman@newsminer.com.
