The Sitka Grand Jury handed down a long list of indictments in November, bringing felony charges against seven Sitkans for alleged crimes ranging from misconduct involving controlled substances to burglary.
The Grand Jury alleges that October 5, 33-year-old Zachary Loewen broke into Harbor Mountain Brewery and stole money from the till. Using security footage obtained from a nearby convenience store and the brewery, police say they were able to identify Loewen as he broke into the building, opened the cash register and did “a little ditty dance” before taking the money from the till and leaving.
Then, around 11 p.m. on November 10, police responded to a report that a man had broken into Mt. Edgecumbe Pre-School. Officers arrived at the school, and allegedly found Loewen drinking from a 47 oz. jug of applesauce.
The Grand Jury indicted Loewen on one count of burglary in the second degree, a felony, and one misdemeanor count of theft in the fourth degree.
Loewen’s arrest at the pre-school wasn’t the only late night call police responded to in November. Shortly before midnight on November 3, Sitka Police responded to reports that a fight had broken out at Ernie’s Bar. Police say after arriving at the bar and breaking up the fight, they arrested 33-year-old Joshua Bivens. According to the allegations, Bivens had assaulted multiple people in the bar, including the manager, when a loaded handgun fell out of his pants. On November 9, a Sitka Grand Jury indicted Bivens on one count of misconduct involving weapons in the third degree, a class C felony. A trial in Bivens’ case is tentatively scheduled next January.
In a separate case, the same grand jury on November 9 indicted 46-year-old Christian Moe on one count of sexual abuse and one count of assault. A trial in Moe’s case is tentatively scheduled next February.
Also on November 9, 32-year-old Twila O’Brien and 27-year-old Bradley Ross were each indicted on one count of misconduct involving a controlled substance in the second degree, a Class A felony. The grand jury also indicted 26-year-old Miguel Garcia on two felony counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance. Trials in all three narcotics cases are tentatively scheduled for January of next year.
And on November 30, the Grand Jury indicted one more Sitkan. 33-year-old James O’Brien was indicted on two counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance. This follows O’Brien’s indictment on a related charge in July, when he was arrested for possession of fentanyl near a school. A trial in O’Brien’s case is tentatively set for January.
Editor’s Note: KCAW omits certain details in assault and domestic violence cases in order to protect the identities of the victims.
