Loretto Jones ran for the Assembly District 1 seat in the 2017 municipal election. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Loretto Jones ran for the Assembly District 1 seat in the 2017 municipal election. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Former Assembly candidate facing felony charges

A former City and Borough of Juneau Assembly candidate allegedly lied to get her Permanent Fund Dividend, according to an investigation from the Department of Revenue.

Charging documents were filed in Juneau District Court on Thursday, charging Loretto Lee Jones, 63, on one count of first-degree unsworn falsification and one count of second-degree theft, both of which are class C felonies. Jones ran for an Assembly seat in the fall of 2017.

According to the charging documents, the Department of Revenue’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU) received a tip claiming that Jones had been living primarily in Oregon from January 2015 to December 2016. Despite living primarily outside of Alaska, the charging documents allege, Jones still filed her PFD application (electronically) on Jan. 8, 2016. She responded “no” to every question on her PFD application about being absent from the state for more than 90 or 180 days.

Those who are absent from Alaska for more than 180 days must be absent on an allowable absence to qualify for the PFD, according to the PFD’s website. People are required to report their absences if they are gone from Alaska for 90 total days out of a year. Charging documents make no mention of Jones reporting an absence, but read that Jones denied being out of state for more than 90 days.

“There was no fraud involved,” Jones told the Empire via email. She said she is appealing the charges.

Nate Imes of the CIU spoke with Jones on Nov. 3, 2017 in person and via email afterward, according to charging documents. Based on the information Jones gave to Imes, Jones had been outside of Alaska for about 205 days in 2015. Imes then reviewed records from Alaska Airlines and the Alaska Marine Highway System. Combined with the information Jones gave him, Imes determined that Jones had been absent from Alaska for 260 days in 2015.

According to charging documents, Jones continued to claim she was not outside of Alaska for more than 90 days in 2015 despite her own documentation showing she was gone for more than twice that long. Jones received her 2016 PFD and collected $1,022 on Oct. 6, 2016.

During Jones’ run for Assembly, a judge ruled that Jones had violated the Landlord Tenant Act when she refused to return a security deposit to a former resident. This was the third time in the previous two years that former tenants had recovered damages from Jones, according to court records.

Near the outset of Jones’ campaign, the Juneau Police Department ended up at Jones’ house after eyewitnesses reported seeing Jones’ truck near houses with stolen campaign signs. No charges were filed.

 


 

• Contact reporter Alex McCarthy at 523-2271 or amccarthy@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @akmccarthy.

 


 

More in News

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Aurora forecast through the week of Nov. 10

These forecasts are courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute… Continue reading

Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota speaks to reporters at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia in advance of the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, Sept. 10, 2024. President-elect Trump has tapped Burgum to lead the Interior Department, leading the new administration’s plans to open federal lands and waters to oil and gas drilling. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)
Trump nominates governor of North Dakota — not Alaska — to be Interior Secretary

Doug Burgum gets nod from president-elect, leaving speculation about Dunleavy’s future hanging

Maple the dog leads Kerry Lear and Stephanie Allison across the newly completed Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei (also known as the Brotherhood Bridge Trail) over Montana Creek Monday, November 11. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)
Reconnected: New bridge over Montana Creek reopens portion of Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei

People again able to walk a loop on what’s commonly known as the Brotherhood Bridge Trail.

City officials pose with a gold shovel at the location of a new marine haulout Friday at the Gary Paxton Industrial Site. Pictured are, from left, Assembly member Kevin Mosher, GPIP Board of Directors members Chad Goeden and Lauren Howard Mitchell (holding her son, Gil Howard), Municipal Engineer Michael Harmon, Assembly member Thor Christianson, Municipal Administrator John Leach, Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz, Sitka Economic Development Association Executive Director Garry White, and GPIP Board of Directors Chair Scott Wagner. (James Poulson / Sitka Sentinel)
Sitka Assembly approved memorandum of understanding on cruise ship passenger limits by 4-3 vote

MOA sets daily limit of 7,000, guidelines for docking bans for ships that would exceed that total.

Wrangell’s Artha DeRuyter is one of 300 volunteers from around the country who will go to Washington, D.C., later this month to help decorate the White House for the Christmas season. (Sam Pausman / Wrangell Sentinel)
Wrangell florist invited to help decorate White House for Christmas

For Artha DeRuyter, flowers have always been a passion. She’s owned flower… Continue reading

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Monday, Nov. 11, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

A map shows Alaska had the largest increase in drug overdose deaths among the five states reporting increases during the 12-month period ending in June. Overdoses nationally declined for a second straight year. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map)
Drug overdose deaths in Alaska jump 38.68% in a year as nationwide rate drops 14%

National experts see hope in second annual decline as Alaska officials worry about ongoing crisis.

Most Read