FBI seeking further information ex-DHS officer charged with sexual assault

They’re investigating his activities inside Anchorage as well as elsewhere.

The FBI is seeking more information about the activities of a former Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Service officer who was recently indicted for new counts of sexual assault, following his 2021 arrest. (Courtesy photo / Alaska Department of Law)

The FBI is seeking more information about the activities of a former Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Service officer who was recently indicted for new counts of sexual assault, following his 2021 arrest. (Courtesy photo / Alaska Department of Law)

A former federal employee indicted more than a year ago on multiple charges of sexual assaults in Anchorage has been indicted by an Anchorage grand jury on two more counts of sexual assault last week.

The FBI is seeking more information about his activities outside of Anchorage as the investigation into the allegations continues, said FBI spokesperson Chloe Martin.

Bert Christopher Heitstuman, 51, is currently indicted on charges of eight counts of felony second-degree sexual assault and one count of first-degree sexual assault.

[City OKs ordinance allowing for fifth pier in long-term plan]

Heitstuman is accused of abusing his position as a law enforcement officer and as a security officer in connection with all of the charges against him, according to the Alaska Department of Law. Heitstuman was a law enforcement specialist with the Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Service, and six of the eight incidents are related to conduct alleged to have occurred while he was in that job.

Other incidents are alleged to have occurred while Heitstuman was employed as a mall security officer in Anchorage, according to the Department of Law.

The charges amount to four different victims and eight different assaults, according to the Department of Law. The sexual assaults are alleged to have occurred from 2011 to 2018.

Anyone who may have any further information regarding Heitstuman is asked to call the FBI Anchorage Field Office at (907) 276-4441.

•Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.

More in News

David Ross is sworn in as Kenai Police Chief on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at Kenai City Hall. The Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police named Ross the 2025 Police Chief of the Year, recognizing over two decades of service. Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion
Kenai police chief named 2025 Police Chief of the Year

The Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police recognized David Ross for his more than two decades of leadership.

The cast of Nikiski Middle School’s upcoming performance of “Alice in Wonderland” is pictured on Dec. 2, 2025. The upperclassmen-directed play opens on Friday, with additional showtimes Saturday and next weekend. Photo courtesy of Carla Jenness
Nikiski Middle School debuts student-led “Alice in Wonderland”

The show opens on Friday, with additional showtimes this weekend and next.

On Tuesday, the Kenaitze Indian Tribe unveiled Kahtnu Area Transit, a public transportation service open to the entire Peninsula Borough community. Photo courtesy of Kahtnu Area Transit
Kenaitze Indian Tribe unveils Kahtnu Area Transit

The fixed bus route offers 13 stops between Nikiski and Sterling.

The Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center hosts the annual Christmas Comes to Kenai on Nov. 28<ins>, 2025</ins>. The beloved event began over 40 years ago, and this year over 1,000 attendees enjoyed hot chocolate, fireworks, pictures with Santa and shopping. Photo courtesy of the Kenai Chamber of Commerce
 Photo courtesy of the Kenai Chamber of Commerce
The Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center hosted the annual Christmas Comes to Kenai on Nov. 28. The beloved event began over 40 years ago, and this year over 1,000 attendees enjoyed hot chocolate, fireworks, pictures with Santa and shopping.
Kicking off a month of holiday festivities

Last weekend’s holiday events, including the annual Christmas Comes to Kenai and the Soldotna Turkey Trot, drew folks from all over the Kenai Peninsula.

Starting Dec. 2, Aleutian Airways will offer roundtrip flights between Anchorage and Unalakleet every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
Aleutian Airways to offer roundtrip flights between Anchorage and Unalakleet

Starting Dec. 2, Aleutian Airways will offer three roundtrip flights per week.

The Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” act requires the Bureau of Ocean Energy management to hold at least six offshore oil and gas lease sales in Alaska between 2026-2028 and 2030-2032. The first of these sales — known as “Big Beautiful Cook Inlet 1,” or BBC1— is scheduled for March 2026. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Cook Inletkeeper launches petition against federal government

The organization is calling for transparency in Cook Inlet offshore oil and gas sales.

Winter dining has always carried more weight than the menu might suggest. In the off-season, eating out isn’t just about comfort food or convenience; it’s a way of supporting local businesses as they hold steady through the slower months. Photo credit: Canva.
The ripple effect: How local spending builds stronger communities on the Kenai Peninsula

From cozy cafés to fine-dining bistros, purchases made close to home sustain local jobs and services

Courtesy Harvest
On the Kenai Peninsula, a dormant liquefied natural gas export plant could be repurposed to receive cargoes of imported LNG under a plan being studied by Harvest, an affiliate of oil and gas company Hilcorp. The fuel would be transferred from ships to the tanks on the left, still in liquid form, before being converted back into gas and sent into a pipeline.
Utilities say Alaska needs an LNG import terminal. Consumers could end up paying for two.

Planning for two separate projects is currently moving ahead.

A map shows the locations of the 21 Alaska federal offshore oil and gas lease sales proposed by the Trump administration. (Map provided by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management)
Trump administration proposes offshore leasing in almost all Alaska waters

A new five-year offshore oil and gas leasing plan proposes 21 sales in Alaska, from the Gulf of Alaska to the High Arctic, and 13 more off the U.S. West Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.

Most Read