James D. Ward v. State of Alaska, Department of Public Safety, Appellee State of Alaska, Department of Public Safety…

Summary

The court held that Alaska's sex-offender registration statute unambiguously requires lifetime registration for a person convicted of two or more sex offenses, even when the convictions arise from one proceeding and one judgment. Because the statute does not require separate prosecutions, sequential convictions, or multiple judgments, the rule of lenity did not apply, and the legislative history did not justify departing from the text. The court affirmed the ruling concerning Ward, reversed the ruling concerning Boles, and remanded for entry of an order affirming the Department's decision as to Boles.