Pilot Station city officials charged with criminal election interference

Two municipal officials from the municipality of Pilot Station on the lower Yukon River have been charged with criminal election interference.

According to an indictment filed July 30, Pilot Station’s incumbent mayor Arthur Heckman Sr. and city clerk Ruthie Borromeo are each charged with eight counts of misdemeanor related to alleged violations of state election laws in October 2022 and October 2023.

The charges include attempting to induce an election official to neglect his or her duties by using violence, threats, intimidation or the offer of rewards, delaying the mailing of required election materials, willfully failing to perform one’s election duties and tampering with election results.

Heckman Sr. is also charged with eight other misdemeanors for allegedly inciting the crimes named in the indictment.

Further details about the alleged election interference have not been made publicly available by the state of Alaska.

The city of Pilot Station and the state Office of Special Prosecutors did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Heckman Sr. and Borromeo are scheduled to be arraigned in Bethel Superior Court on August 20.