Alleged rapist on the lam

July 10, 2005

KATE GOLDEN\Frontiersman reporter

PALMER -- Police are searching for an 18-year-old Sutton man whose relatives banished him after he allegedly sexually assaulted their 15-year-old daughter.

Palmer District Court Judge Greg Heath authorized a $10,000 warrant for the arrest of Ryan Edward Johnston based on an affidavit filed Wednesday by Alaska State Trooper Nathan Bucknall with charging documents. Johnston is charged with first-degree sexual assault.

The girl didn't immediately report that she woke up one morning and found the suspect with his hands down her pants. But two weeks later, after another relative told her of an incident in which Johnston touched her inappropriately as well, the victim told family members and parents what happened.

Johnston had lived at the residence for the last five years, Bucknall said. When the parents heard their daughter's story, around June 20, they called him immediately -- he was at a friend's house -- and told him to leave.

They told the trooper that during that telephone conversation, Johnston admitted assaulting his relative. He arrived at the house, picked up some things and left without contacting anyone in the household, they said.

Johnston has lived in the Wasilla area, Bucknall said, and has family ties in Ketchikan.

Family members told the trooper they last heard from Johnston around June 22, after he took a ferry to Haines. He didn't have enough money to continue to Ketchikan, he told them. They denied his request because they knew what had happened, they said.

Since then, Bucknall said, no one has seen or heard from Johnston.

Bucknall said he will investigate the other woman's report this week.

Contact Kate Golden at 352-2284 or kate.golden@frontiersman.com.