Former Bethel foster parent Peter Tony has pleaded guilty to three counts of child sexual abuse in a plea deal.
In the agreement with prosecutors, the 70-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of sexually abusing a minor in 2012 when he abused a 4-year-old his wife had in day care at their home. Those charges carry sentences anywhere from 5 to 99 years each.
He also pleaded guilty to molesting a 12-year old girl in 1998. She told a police investigator that she would wake up to find Tony touching her. That was the year he lost his foster care license. He could serve up to 10 years for that charge.
Tony was originally charged with 10 felony counts of sexually abusing minors. In Monday’s court appearance, Tony also pleaded guilty to aggravating factors like abusing the same victims multiple times and being more than 10-years older than victims. Those factors could increase his sentence.
Authorities believe he has more victims reaching as far back as the 1970s. He and his late wife Marilyn ran a licensed foster care facility from 1984 until he lost the license in 1998.
Tony told police that there were several victims whose names he could not remember. The police affidavit noted that Tony said touching kids was an addiction.
His former stepdaughter Kimberley Bruesch has stated that Tony molested her and her two sisters. Those sisters later committed suicide.
Peter Tony’s sentencing is set for later in June.
Ben Matheson is a contributor with the Alaska Public Radio Network.
