In 2003, Officer Matthew Owens was convicted of murdering 19-year-old Inupiaq woman Sonya Ivanoff. Owens had a history of making unwanted sexual advances and picking up young women in his police car. After his arrest, three women filed lawsuits alleging that Owens had stalked, threatened, and sexually assaulted them. The City of Nome settled these lawsuits for approximately $750,000, acknowledging the failure to properly supervise Owens.
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