Crime & Justice

Man charged with Alaska cigarette lighter child abuse arrested in Nevada

The Anchorage man accused of burning a child dozens of times with a cigarette lighter in Wasilla last year is now being held in Nevada, with an extradition to Alaska tentatively scheduled for next month.

Alaska prosecutors said a warrant on five felony assault charges was issued March 4 for 22-year-old Charles Jacob Nuglene after an investigation showed he had inflicted at least 90 burns on a 3-year-old girl during a July 1 incident.

Records clerks with the Washoe County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that police in Sparks, Nevada, took Nuglene into custody on May 15.

Lt. Chad Hawkins with the Sparks Police Department said the incident that led to Nuglene's arrest began as a shoplifting call from a Kmart discount store at about 1:20 p.m. Responding officers apprehended Nuglene outside the store after a brief chase.

"They attempted to stop and talk with (Nuglene) but he immediately ran," Hawkins said. "When he was arrested, they found 45 grams of marijuana (and) a gram and a half of methamphetamine."

Nuglene was originally arrested on charges of possession of marijuana and meth, obstructing a police officer and a warrant from Reno Municipal Court for failure to appear on a previous marijuana possession charge. Hawkins said police didn't discover that Nuglene was also wanted in Alaska until he was booked.

According to the Washoe County clerks, Nuglene will be held on the Nevada charges until July 13. Then the process of extraditing him to Alaska on the child-abuse charges will begin.

"He has 10 days to fight extradition to Alaska, but he has to clear up the local charges beforehand," Hawkins said.

Chris Klint

Chris Klint is a former ADN reporter who covered breaking news.

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