Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) will continue to press the Department of Justice to explain why it failed to bring charges in a sexual abuse case in Alaska.

Paula Roberds, who is from a Yup'ik village, said Bill Allen, the former CEO of Veco, began paying her for sex when she was 15 years old. She said the arrangement continued even after she moved to Washington state.

Roberds, who is now 26, reported the abuse in 2008 and began telling her story to authorities in Alaska, who were able to confirm many of the trips that Allen allegedly paid for. But federal authorities -- who took over the case from state investigators -- declined to file charges last summer.

Murkowski will use her positions on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and on the Senate Appropriations Committee to seek answers in the case. She said DOJ's initial response to her queries was "wimpy" and "unsatisfactory."

"Victimization of young Alaska Native women is not something that is, unfortunately, unusual," Murkowski told The Anchorage Daily News.. "This situation with Paula Roberds was very high profile because of Bill Allen's role, but the fact of the matter is, we know that there are other young women, and unfortunately it would appear that so many of them are young Alaska Native women, who come in and fall prey to these individuals."

Get the Story:
Murkowski renews query into sex charges against Allen (The Anchorage Daily News 12/13)

Related Stories:
The Village: Sex traffickers target Alaska Native women and girls (12/3)
State authorities looking into charges for sex abuse of Native girl (9/9)
Opinion: State should pursue charges over abuse of Native girl (9/2)
Editorial: No justice in refusal to pursue abuse case of Native girl (8/25)
DOJ won't prosecute Alaska figure for sexual abuse of Native girl (8/23)