19-year-old charged with assault

August 8, 2006

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman

PALMER - A Palmer man who told his probation officer about girls with whom he had sex has been indicted on two counts of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

Joseph A. Price, 19, was also charged with one count of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor in a separate case after investigation by Palmer police.

In March, Palmer police received a call from Price's probation officer, who said Price had told him about the sexual relationship he'd had with a 15-year-old girl who now lives in Ketchikan.

In an interview with the Ketchikan police and in another with the Palmer police, the girl said she and Price began a relationship at the start of the Alaska State Fair last year. Their sexual relationship began on their first date, it was consensual, and they had sexual intercourse &#8220every time they could and wherever they could,” the report said.

In an interview with Palmer police, Price admitted having sex with the girl, but said he believed she was 16. When he found out she was 15, he broke up with her and they continued to be friends, Price said in the interview.

Price began a relationship with a 14-year-old girl in September, near the end of the Alaska State Fair, according to the police report.

Police interviewed the 14-year-old at The Children's Place, where she identified Price, the report said. The girl said Price had broken up with another girl, who police identified as the victim in the first case.

Price lived in the same apartment building as the girl's friend. While visiting her friend one day, the girl was alone in a room with Price, and he put his hand down her pants and touched her, according to police. About a week later, Price allegedly felt her breasts while they were at the Amoosement Park in Palmer.

The girl told police Price knew how old she was because he had a cousin the same age. They &#8220broke up,” she said, when Price started dating her sister.

During his interview with police, Price said he had never kissed the girl or been any more affectionate with her than walking arm-in-arm through the fair with about two or three other people, the report said. Nothing sexual ever happened between him and the girl, Price said in the report, and he knew she was 14 years old.

Contact Mary Ames at 352-2284 or mary.ames@frontiersman.com.