Wasilla man beaten over ownership of TV

WASILLA — A Wasilla man who thought he was heading to a Valley home for money he was owed ended up on the wrong end of a beating.

Troopers got word early Monday morning that six men had beaten James Leseman, 23, with guns, brass knuckles and a sharp object, according to an Alaska State Troopers report.

Sgt. Craig Allen with the Alaska Bureau of Investigation said Thursday that, so far, troopers have not been able to contact any of the men alleged to have taken part in the beating. As of now, Leseman is their best source of information, but that at least two uninvolved witnesses have been cooperating.

Leseman had been summoned to a residence on North Brocton Road to collect his money, troopers report. Upon arrival, the men threatened Leseman with guns, knives and brass knuckles, accused him of stealing electronics, drugs and a gun and demanded them back

The men then beat Leseman, seriously injuring his face and body, took some of his belongings and left, according to the report.

Allen said the actual ownership of the stolen belongings, which he described as mainly electronics — a television, a stereo and a gaming console — is in dispute.

“One party believes that the property belongs to him and was wrongly taken from him. Leseman had possession of those items and believes they were wrongly taken from him,” Allen said.

Leseman was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, treated and released.

Asked if one of the knives with which he was threatened was used to stab Leseman, Allen said Leseman does have a laceration or deep scratch, but it doesn’t appear to be a stab wound.

“We don’t have any indication that there’s any deep, penetrating trauma,” Allen said, but the cut was clearly caused by “something sharp enough to certainly incise the skin or lacerate the skin.”

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