Andrew West James Receives 56-Year Sentence for Child Sexual Abuse

(Anchorage, AK) – On October 23, 2026, Anchorage Superior Court’s Judge Andrew Peterson imposed a 56-year prison sentence on 45-year-old Andrew West James following his conviction by a jury on May 26, 2026. He was found guilty of two counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor and five counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

The allegations against James arose in 2022, when family members reported that he had sexually assaulted them over a period from 2015 to 2018. It was also revealed that he had secretly recorded them using hidden cameras nestled in lights and electrical outlets. Following attempts to report these abuses, the family relocated to several countries before settling in Louisiana, where James was arrested in July 2022 by local authorities and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

During sentencing, Judge Peterson highlighted the manipulation and exploitation of young children for James’s gratification. The case, prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Erin E. White, was investigated by Detective Steve Czajkowski of the Anchorage Police Department’s Special Victims Unit with support from the FBI. After his release, James will be on probation for 15 years and must register as a lifelong sex offender.