Man arrested for sexual abuse of minor

PALMER -- A Palmer man has been charged with four counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

John Lin Gunther, 36, was arrested Wednesday at the Peking Motel where he lived, Alaska State Trooper Margie Escobar said.

He did not resist, and was lodged at Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility in lieu of $60,000 bail.

"He was a friend of the victim's family," Escobar said. "That's how he had contact with her. We received a tip."

The relationship allegedly occurred during November and December 2003. The crime attains second-degree status because the victim was between 13 and 15 years of age and because she is more than three years younger than Gunther, Escobar said.

Second-degree sexual abuse of a minor is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and maximum fine of $100,000.

The case was investigated by the Alaska bureau of Investigations' Mat-Su office and the bureau's Crimes Against Children unit, which is a partnership between troopers and Wasilla Police Department.