Dennis Gunn JR and Axcenia Pedersen Charged During Theft Investigation

On November 21, 2023, two loaded handguns were reported as stolen to the Anchorage Police Department.  The guns were taken from inside a vehicle that was left unoccupied and running with the keys inside.  The vehicle was parked outside a residence on the 600-block of E 9th Avenue at the time of the theft.

At 3:10 AM on December 18, 2023, a K9 officer was conducting security checks of business parking lots on the 4800-block of the New Seward Highway when he saw a vehicle running in one of the lots with a gas can sitting next to the rear tire.  The officer looked to see if anyone else was in the area, and then drove back over to the Ford pickup truck he had originally seen.  Upon his return, the officer noticed the gas can on the ground was missing.  When the officer exited his patrol vehicle, he could smell a strong odor of gasoline and he could see a set of footprints leading away from the truck.

The officer contacted the adult male driver and adult female passenger in the Ford.  While that was happening, other officers began searching the lot.  They discovered ten parked vehicles had gas siphoned from them.  They also found 29-year-old Dennis W. Gunn JR hiding between trucks in the lot; Gunn was detained.

The female passenger was identified as 23-year-old Axcenia M. Pedersen.  A computer check revealed she is under the supervision of Palmer Adult Probation.  APD officers contacted Palmer Probation who asked that a probation search of Pedersen and her belongings be conducted on their behalf.  During that search, APD officers located drug paraphernalia which was a violation of her probationary terms.  Palmer Probation requested that Axcenia Pedersen be charged for violating her probation.

After receiving permission from the Ford’s owner, the truck was searched.  During that search, two handguns were located to include one that had been reported as stolen the month prior from the vehicle on E 9th Avenue.

All three individuals were transported to the Anchorage Police Department for questioning by detectives.  At the conclusion of those interviews, the adult male driver was released without being charged.  Axcenia Pederson was remanded at Hiland Correctional for the probation violation.

Gunn JR was remanded at the Anchorage Jail on the charges of Criminal Trespass II, Theft IV, Theft II - Firearms, Misconduct Involving a Weapon III – Felon in Possession, and ten counts of Tampering with a Vehicle.

APD Cases 23-37780 and 23-40774

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