A village health aide in the Northwest Arctic community of Kobuk has been charged with multiple felonies, including enticement of a minor and possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to a charging document, Derek Garfield Sr., 38, sent sexually explicit messages and images to a 14-year-old girl on Facebook Messenger last December. The charges say the girl reported the messages months later to another village health aide who was a state-mandated reporter.
A trooper wrote in the charges that Garfield admitted in an April interview to sending the messages and told investigators that he had been drinking when he sent them.
Troopers seized Garfield's phone through a search warrant. The charges say a state forensic examination completed in August recovered the messages and an image sent to the girl and two additional images that investigators labeled as child sexual abuse material. Troopers say an investigation into additional photographs on Garfield’s phone is ongoing.
Garfield had his first court appearance at the Kotzebue Courthouse Friday. Court records show the next hearing in the case is set for August 24.
