Man convicted of most counts in Fairbanks sex assault trial
by Chris Freiberg / cfreiberg@newsminer.com
2 months ago | 1743 views | 7 7 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend | print
FAIRBANKS — A Fairbanks jury has convicted a 21-year-old man of most of the charges related to three sexual assaults.

The verdicts in the trial of Gareth Demoski came late Friday afternoon after the jury spent part of Thursday and all of Friday deliberating.

The jury found Demoski guilty of six felony counts of sexual assault but could not come to a unanimous verdict on a seventh sexual assault charge. Demoski also was found guilty of assault and criminal mischief charges and not guilty of felony burglary.

Demoski had no reaction as he was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.

During the two-week trial, prosecutors charged that Demoski raped a woman staying at his parents’ house in summer 2007 and another woman he met walking on College Road in June 2008. They also presented evidence that he broke into a third woman’s home in June 2008 and sexually assaulted her as she slept next to her fiance.

Demoski testified earlier this week that he had consensual sex with two of the women and that he broke into the third woman’s home to steal from her, not to assault her.

Jurors were unable to come to a decision on one sexual assault charge related to the College Road incident.

Superior Court Judge Randy Olsen scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 22. First-degree sexual assault has a presumptive sentencing range of 15 to 20 years in prison.
comments (7)
« Pearl=W wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 07:18 PM »
tired - you don't read often enough, leads to narrow ideas about others. "Scary" is a relative term, that I don't think I'd necessarily apply in this case. Definately anti-social, but not brutally violent.
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« tiredofcrime wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 04:19 PM »
Pearl, what happened to your "the cops are all liars - he's probably just some poor shmuck who didn't pay his protection money" banter? You've surprised me!

But I agree, this was a scary guy, and I'm glad they put him away for a while. Nice to know we agree on something. Have a great weekend.
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« akgrown wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 12:42 PM »
Great job ADA Simpson and members of the jury!
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« Pearl=W wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 11:40 AM »
I wonder if he's figured out yet, or will ever realize, that "No" means "No", even when he wants to keep it up, that it's not "just goofing" to keep going after he's been told "No", or that women have the right to refuse him?? Somehow, I get the feeling that he's one of those who just can't, or won't, ever understand this. A very good thing for his victims that he doesn't appear to have been into any of the even uglier forms of abuse, like Wade, for example.
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« sloughrunner wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 11:03 AM »
Now your honor please do your j.o.b. & give him the max........
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« Rockee wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 08:14 AM »
Thank you, Jury and Prosecutors!
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« tiredofcrime wrote on Saturday, Nov 21 at 07:48 AM »
Actually, unclassified sex felonies are 20-99 years minumum range; more if there are aggravators to be considered by the court. I'm sure there will be aggravators in this very nasty case. Title 12 dictates the specific ranges depending on felony history here: http://touchngo.com/lglcntr/akstats/Statutes/Title12/Chapter55/Section125.htm
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