Wainwright man sentenced to 16 years for child exploitation crimes

A federal prison sentence of more than 16 years for Wainwright resident Robert Segevan closed one criminal case, but it also showed how quickly online abuse can reach children in a small North Slope community and how a single report can trigger a wider investigation. Federal prosecutors said the case began when a 15-year-old in Wainwright came forward on Oct. 22, 2024, setting off work by local police, the FBI and other agencies.

Segevan was sentenced June 11 in federal court in Fairbanks after pleading guilty March 6 to attempted production of child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and receipt of child pornography. The court also ordered 15 years of supervised release after he leaves prison.

Investigators said four additional minor victims later came forward, ranging in age from 11 to 13. Law enforcement said Segevan repeatedly made new online accounts after victims blocked him, allowing him to keep contacting them. The FBI said the case uncovered 62 images and 21 videos of child sexual abuse material on seized devices, including material involving victims as young as 5 years old.

The North Slope Borough Police Department received the first report, and the FBI Anchorage Field Office worked the case with help from the Anchorage Police Department as part of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The FBI also said Segevan had ties to Utqiaġvik and Kaktovik, and identified online aliases connected to him as Ethan Allen, tukak, robertsegevan20 and robertsegevan24.

U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman praised the victims’ courage in bringing the abuse to law enforcement and said, “We must work together to protect Alaska’s children.” FBI Anchorage Special Agent in Charge Matthew Schlegel said the crimes were deliberate and predatory, underscoring the agency’s message that investigators will continue working to protect vulnerable children across the state.

Federal authorities said victims may be eligible for services, restitution and confidentiality protections. The case was pursued under Project Safe Childhood, the Justice Department initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation online. For families in Wainwright and other North Slope villages, the sentence marks both accountability for one offender and a reminder of how urgently local reporting can break a hidden pattern of abuse.