Metlakatla Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of One Minor and Indecent Viewing or Photography of a Second Minor

September 2, 2026

(Ketchikan, AK) -Yesterday, George "Buster" Blandov, 24, pled guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the First Degree and Indecent Viewing or Photography. Ketchikan Superior Court Judge Katherine Lybrand took Blandov's plea.

As part of a negotiated agreement, Blandov will receive a composite sentence of 36 years with 10 years suspended and 26 years to serve. Blandov will be placed on probation for a period of 15 years, with conditions requiring him to participate in sex offender treatment, prohibiting unsupervised contact with minors, and limiting and monitoring his internet and social media usage. Lesser charges of unlawful exploitation of a minor, possession of child sexual abuse material, sexual assault in the second degree, enticement of a minor, and distribution of indecent materials to minors were dismissed as part of the agreement. Blandov will be sentenced on Dec. 17, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in Ketchikan.

The investigation into Blandov is a result of a multi-agency investigation led by the Alaska Bureau of Investigation into numerous historic child abuse cases within the Metlakatla Indian Community. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement discovered evidence that Blandov committed sexual offenses against three minors ages 6 to 17 in Metlakatla between 2019 and 2024. During the course of this investigation, Blandov continued to send sexually explicit messages to an Alaska State Trooper posing as a child by using one of the victim's social media accounts. In these messages, Blandov attempted to plan future sexual encounters with that child.

Assistant Attorney General Bailey Woolfstead of the Office of Special Prosecutions' Rural Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case with the assistance of Paralegal Marley Hettinger of the Juneau District Attorney's Office. Sergeant Bryce Weight of the Alaska State Troopers investigated the case. The State would like to thank the Metlakatla Indian Community executives, council, and staff for their cooperation and support during the investigation. The U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, Alaska Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Tundra Women's Coalition, The Children's Place, WISH, AWARE, and S.A.F.E. Child Advocacy Center all provided critical assistance during the investigation of the case.

CONTACT: Assistant Attorney General Bailey Woolfstead at (907) 465-3924 or [email protected]

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Department Media Contact: Information Officer Sam Curtis at [email protected] or (907) 269-6269.

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