Time served for Palin stalkers

ANCHORAGE — A father and son who made hundreds of telephone calls, some of them threatening, to lawyers representing former Gov. Sarah Palin, were sentenced Friday to time already served in jail.

The time Craig Christy and his son, Shawn Christy, spent in federal institutions actually penciled out to about what they would have served on charges of making harassing telephone calls.

The case was nearing a resolution in January, but hearings were delayed as a federal judge ordered reports prepared regarding the Christys’ mental status. Neither Christy was apparently found too dangerous to release from jail.

Shawn Christy was placed on five years probation. Media reports say he was also ordered to spend six months in a residential treatment center in Pennsylvania, but allowed to spend time at his parents’ house until a bed opens up.

His father also was placed on probation for five years and ordered to perform community work service.

The charges stem from phone calls placed to Fairbanks attorney John Tiemessen, who had secured a restraining order against the Christys on behalf of the former governor and her family.

The Christys started calling Tiemessen’s offices — at one point placing 25 phone calls in an hour — sometimes leaving threatening voicemails.

The initial restraining order issued in September 2010 was the result of various communications Shawn Christy had with the Palins and others, including mailing receipts relating to a gun purchase and sale.

The situation came to a head several months after he flew to Alaska for a very brief visit on Sarah Palin’s birthday in February 2011.

Since then, the case has meandered through court, with Burgess balking at a plea agreement, the Christys agreeing to go ahead without an agreement and just plead to the charges, and then the psychiatric evaluations.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.