Superior Court Judge Brent Bennett sentenced 47-year-old Anthony Peterson to 30 years of active incarceration for the murder of 18-year-old Brett Allen.
On Jan. 14, 2021, Peterson fatally shot Brett Allen. In May of 2024, a Fairbanks jury found Peterson guilty of Murder in the Second Degree and rejected Peterson’s self-defense argument.
In sentencing Peterson, Judge Bennett observed that at the time of the shooting, Peterson was not protecting his son but rather responding to an insult with a gun. He also expressed Peterson had a history of irresponsible use of firearms and a pattern of resolving disputes and solving his problems by using firearms.
In addition to the 30 years of active incarceration, Peterson will also have 10 years of suspended time and a probation term of 10 years. Peterson is not eligible for parole.
Peterson’s son, Aaron Peterson, also faces charges of Murder in the First Degree and Murder in the Second Degree, stemming from this event. The charges are only allegations and are not evidence of guilt. Aaron Peterson is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. His next court date is an omnibus hearing on Sept. 30, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.
CONTACT: District Attorney Joe Dallaire at 907-451-5970 or joe.dallaire@alaska.gov
Original source can be found here.