Press Release

Anchorage Man to Spend 26 Years in Prison for Violent Crime Spree

January 20, 2016

(ANCHORAGE, Alaska) – On Friday, January 15, 2016, Judge Jack Smith sentenced 22 year old Siaosi Sila of Anchorage to spend 26 years in prison for crime sprees in 2013 and 2015 in Anchorage. The 2013 crime spree included home invasion robberies, assaults, burglaries, arson and commercial robberies of area businesses. The 2015 crime spree involved two armed robberies committed while Sila was a fugitive.

Sila had previously pled to three counts of robbery in the first degree, one count of burglary in the first degree, one count of arson in the second degree, one count of misconduct involving weapons in the third degree, one count of escape in the fourth degree, and one count of violating conditions of release.

Siaosi Sila was arrested November 30, 2013, after he and three co-defendants committed armed robberies at two Anchorage businesses. Anchorage Police Detective Milton Jakeway’s investigation led to connection of the four defendants to the crimes. While pending trial, Sila escaped custody from a halfway house then committed two more armed robberies of Anchorage businesses in April 2015.

Judge Smith told Sila, who had one prior felony conviction for a residential burglary, he had committed a “rash of extremely violent criminal activity.” Judge Smith found that isolation was the primary factor for the sentence because he believed that Sila posed an extreme danger to the community. Judge Smith commented on the “incredible audacity” to commit additional armed robberies while facing other robbery charges.

Judge Smith imposed a composite sentence 38 years with 12 years suspended. He placed Sila on felony probation for five years.

CONTACT: District Attorney Clint Campion @ (907) 269-6324 or clinton.campion@alaska.gov.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.