State senator staff member arrested on federal child sex trafficking charges, authorities say

JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) — Alaskan authorities say a staff member for a state senator has been charged with sex trafficking of children and other child exploitation offenses.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, the FBI arrested Craig Scott Valdez, 36, after a federal grand jury returned an indictment with charges that include sex trafficking of children.

Investigators say they believe Valdez targeted more than 10 juveniles across Alaska.

At the time of his arrest, the FBI identified Valdez as a current state employee working in Anchorage and Juneau. The 36-year-old was listed as a staff member for Sen. George Rauscher in Juneau on the Alaska Senate Minority website.

According to court documents, Valdez used Snapchat to identify, groom and entice juvenile females in Alaska for sexual exploitation.

Prosecutors said Friday in a detention memo that a review of Valdez’s Snapchat and Cash App activity revealed at least 11 suspected juvenile victims beyond the one named in the indictment.

The indictment charges Valdez’s conduct in relation to a minor victim from an incident in October 2025, and the FBI said he is believed to have victimized or attempted to victimize other juveniles.

State leaders have called Valdez’s arrest and charges shocking.

The Alaska Republican Party also reacted swiftly to the news of Valdez’s arrest.

“The conduct described in federal court filings demands our deepest outrage,” Chairman Carmela Warfield said in a statement. “There is absolutely no place in our state for anyone who would harm a child.”

Warfield also noted that “decisive action” has been taken to remove Valdez from all positions he previously held within the party and the Anchorage Young Republicans.

If convicted, Valdez faces 15 years to life in federal prison.

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and the Anchorage Police Department are investigating the case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

The FBI is asking anyone with information about Valdez’s alleged actions to contact the Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441.