A Kotzebue man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a minor female in Bethel, Alaska. Jesse Hadley, 33, will also serve 25 years of court-mandated supervision after his release. The sentence is the maximum allowed by law for this offense.
According to court documents, the incident came to light on July 30, 2023, when the victim’s mother reported to local police that Hadley had exploited her daughter. She discovered a video on a family device showing Hadley placing a hidden camera in the minor’s bedroom. The camera recorded the child entering and undressing before Hadley retrieved it.
Hadley pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025, to one count of sexually exploiting a child to possess child pornography.
During sentencing, the Court highlighted Hadley’s abuse of trust and noted his history of violence against women and girls.
“Mr. Hadley, a man with a history of assault and domestic violence, continued his deplorable pattern of behavior by secretly filming and exploiting the minor victim. His actions resulted in the statutory maximum penalty for his offense,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “My office continues to prioritize protecting Alaska’s children, wherever they live. We will continue to work closely with all our law enforcement partners across the state to track down child predators and hold them accountable for their reprehensible actions.”
“Not only was Hadley’s behavior disturbing and predatory, but also an egregious abuse of trust,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Protecting children is one of our most critical responsibilities. The FBI will continue to identify and hold accountable those who exploit our most vulnerable.”
“The Bethel Police Department is committed in efforts to investigate and combat child exploitation online, particularly in rural areas like Bethel, Alaska, where the spread of internet-related offenses can be more challenging due to geographic isolation,” said Chief Jeffrey Kirkham of the Bethel Police Department. “Public cooperation and reporting reinforce the importance of cooperation between local, state, and federal agencies to address these crimescomprehensively, and obtain justice for the victims bringing those responsible accountable for their actions.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Bethel Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ainsley McNerney prosecuted the case.
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood—a national initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006—to address child sexual exploitation through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The release was updated to correct information about Hadley’s city of residence.