Alaska News

Anchorage registered sex offender charged with child sex abuse

Anchorage police arrested a 59-year-old registered sex offender on a sex abuse charge Tuesday and fear there may be other underage victims, according to Anchorage Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Castro.

Shortly after 10 a.m., police went to Kid to Kid, at 1231 E. Dimond Blvd., in response to a report of a suspicious circumstance, Castro said in an email statement.

A mother was shopping in the used kids' clothing store that morning with her 5-year-old daughter and son. When they left, the girl told her mother that an older man in the store had touched her genitals, according to a charging document filed in the case.

The mother returned to Kid to Kid and talked to store owners. They reviewed surveillance videos and saw a man, later identified as Carl Teeluk, watching the young girl, charges said.

By the time police arrived at the store, Teeluk was gone, Castro said.

Kimberly Long, owner of Kid to Kid, said the family and Teeluk both entered the store around 9:30 a.m. Employees did not immediately believe Teeluk was a suspicious customer, she said.

"I've been sick to my stomach," Long said.

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She said employees are trained on how to handle disruptive customers. They have code words if they see anything suspicious.

"We have drug addicts, inebriates, homeless people," Long said. "We're on Dimond and that's the foot traffic you get."

At 12:30 p.m., Teeluk returned and employees called 911. Teeluk left and employees watched him as he walked away, relaying information to police, Long said.

Police responded and followed Teeluk on foot to the intersection of Abbott Road and Erin Drive where he was arrested, Castro said.

Teeluk admitted to police that he saw the girl in the store and "touched her both over her skirt and under her skirt," charges said.

Teeluk faces one count of sexual abuse of a minor, a felony. He is being held at the Anchorage Correctional Complex. He has two prior convictions for sexual abuse of a minor, Castro said.

Police believe there may be other victims and are asking anyone with information to call 786-8900.

Reach Tegan Hanlon at thanlon@adn.com or 257-4589.

By TEGAN HANLON

thanlon@adn.com

Tegan Hanlon

Tegan Hanlon was a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News between 2013 and 2019. She now reports for Alaska Public Media.

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