Press Release
Court sentences Anchorage woman for sexual abuse of children
July 10, 2019
(Anchorage, AK) – A judge on Tuesday sentenced Anchorage woman Naomi Sinford (formerly Naomi Meester) to a composite sentence of 75 years in prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Unlawful Exploitation of a Minor in two separate criminal cases. Victims included two of Sinford’s biological daughters as well as a young relative of Sinford. In each case, Sinford acted with an adult male boyfriend or spouse to commit acts of sexual abuse on young girls ranging in age from one to nine years old.
Noting that the facts involved were “as bad as I’ve ever seen,” Anchorage Superior Court Judge Michael Wolverton described photos from one of the cases as “horrifying.” Sinford had earlier pled guilty in both cases.
In the first case, Sinford was sentenced on one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the First Degree and one count of Unlawful Exploitation of a Minor for conduct that occurred in 2010. The victim in that case was Sinford’s then four-year-old daughter. Raymond Thiele, Sinford’s boyfriend at the time, participated in the sexual assaults. Judge Wolverton sentenced Sinford to 70 years with 10 years suspended on the charge of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the First Degree and 15 years with five years suspended on the charge of Unlawful Exploitation of a Minor. Thiele earlier pled guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor and was sentenced on October 1, 2018 to 75 years with 15 years suspended.
Sinford’s second case involved conduct that occurred in 2005 for which Sinford pled guilty to one consolidated count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the Second Degree. The victims in that case were Sinford’s daughter, with the offenses occurring from when she was ages 1 to about 3 years old, and a minor female relative, with the offenses occurring from when she was between 8 and 9 years old. Judge Wolverton sentenced Sinford to eight years with three suspended. Brian Meester, who was Sinford’s husband at the time and the younger victim’s other biological parent, participated in the sexual abuse. Meester earlier pled guilty to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the First Degree and one count of Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the First Degree. On February 27, 2017, Meester was sentenced to 20 years with 10 to serve on the count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the First Degree and 15 years with seven years suspended on the count of Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the First Degree.
Sinford along with Meester was previously convicted in 2005 of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
uring the sentencing hearing, Sinford’s attorney Craig Howard spoke of Sinford’s own sexual abuse as a child and the fact that she was willing to testify against her co-defendant Thiele. Howard asked the court to consider a 30 to 40 year sentencing range. In her statement to the judge prior to being sentenced, Sinford sobbed as she attributed her actions to the manipulation by others and stated that she had learned not to trust anybody but herself.
CONTACT: Anchorage Assistant District Attorney Saritha Anjilvel at (907) 269-6300 or Saritha.anjilvel@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.