Press Release

Kenneth Horton Convicted of Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse of a Minor, Robbery, And Escape

March 9, 2026

(Anchorage, Alaska) - On Friday, March 6, 2026, an Anchorage jury found Kenneth Horton, 25, guilty of Sexual Assault in the First Degree, Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the Second Degree, Robbery in the First Degree, and Escape in the Third Degree.

The convictions stemmed from conduct occurring on May 15, 2020, and June 1, 2020.

On May 15, 2020, Horton, while on conditions of release in another case, cut off the ankle monitor that the court had ordered as part of his bail conditions, making it impossible to monitor his location. Approximately three weeks after cutting off his ankle monitor, on June 1, 2020, Horton sexually assaulted the victim in this case, who was 13 years old at the time.

Horton and the victim were at ABC School playground. Horton threatened the victim with a gun, forcing her to undress at gunpoint. He then sexually assaulted her by forcing her to engage in genital intercourse. After Horton sexually assaulted her, he stole all of the victim’s clothes, her phone, and her backpack, and attempted to steal her bicycle. Horton pointed a gun at the victim two more times when she attempted to retrieve her belongings. Horton ran from the playground with her cellphone, clothing, backpack, and bicycle. He ultimately dropped her bicycle and her sweater. The victim then had to bike home wearing only the sweater the defendant had accidentally dropped.

During the investigation, APD officers located the victim’s clothes thrown in some bushes near the school entrance. Horton had tossed them after fleeing the scene. Police later recovered the victim’s cellphone in some bushes further down the road where Horton had tossed it while fleeing the scene. Horton’s fingerprints were on the victim’s cellphone and Horton’s DNA was also found on the victim. The victim identified Horton in a photographic lineup. During a search of the defendant’s apartment police recovered a pellet gun designed to look like a semiautomatic firearm. The victim identified that as the gun he used in this offense. Police also located surveillance footage at the school and traffic camera footage that showed portions this incident.

Horton is in the custody of the Department of Corrections and being held on a no-bail status pending his sentencing, which is currently scheduled for Sept. 4, 2026. Horton faces a sentence range of 20 to 99 years for the sexual offenses, 4 to 20 years for robbery in the first degree; and 0 to 5 years for escape in the third degree.

The case was prosecuted by Anchorage Assistant District Attorney Tylor Schmitt and Daniella Ginter, with paralegal Daira Pico. The case was investigated by the Anchorage Police Department Crimes Against Children Unit with assistance from Patrol Officers.

The District Attorney’s Office thanks the victim for her bravery in coming forward and testifying at trial. As well as APD for their excellent work on this case.

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Department Media Contact: Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.