Monk with ties to Phoenix accused of sexually abusing child
Authorities in Alaska say Evan P. Nicolai, who previously lived at a monastery near Phoenix, has turned himself in for alleged sexual misconduct.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Alaska Department of Law says a monk associated with the Russian Orthodox Church turned himself into police in Kodiak to report that he had sexually abused a child.
Evan P. Nicolai, 59, has been charged with second-degree sexual abuse of a minor.
The department, in a statement, says he arrived to make the report accompanied by a priest and a parent of the child.
An online court records system shows the man is charged with sexual abuse of a minor. A message was left for the public defender agency, which the records system shows is defending the monk.
The department says the man, as a monk, was allowed to stay at church-provided housing. It says police have found that he stayed at times in the Alaska communities of Anchorage, Bethel, Eklutna, Homer and Kaktovik, and at a monastery near Phoenix, Arizona.