April 30, 2026
(Anchorage, AK) – Today, an Anchorage jury convicted 43-year-old Jose Dominguez Ballesteros of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the Second Degree and two counts of Indecent Exposure in the First Degree. The jury could not reach a verdict on 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.
In 2021, the then 13-year-old victim disclosed at Alaska Cares that a family member had been sexually abusing her since she was 4-years old. She reported that he had engaged in multiple types of sexual abuse. Ballesteros also inflicted physical injury on the victim, and other family members and threatened to kill them if the police were ever called. She reported that this is one reason she did not report the abuse.
The abuse came to light after a friend of the victim reported to the school counselor that a few years prior, the victim told her about the sexual abuse. Investigation revealed that the victim first told her friends after a sexual education video in elementary school.
After the verdict, Ballesteros admitted to the aggravating circumstance that he was more than 10 years older than the victim.
Anchorage Superior Court Judge Andrew Peterson presided over the trial and will sentence Ballesteros on Aug. 27, 2026. Ballesteros faces a sentencing range of 5-99 years on the sexual abuse of a minor conviction and 2-99 on the indecent exposure convictions.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rachel K. Gernat of the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from Paralegal Amelia Rhule and Law Office Assistant Ava Cutler. The case was investigated by Detective Perez with the Anchorage Police Department’s Crimes Against Children’s Unit. The victim and her mother had support of advocates from Alaska Cares and Standing Together Against Rape.
Contact: Assistant District Attorney Rachel K. Gernat at (907) 269-6300 or rachel.gernat@alaska.gov
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Department Media Contact: Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.
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