Alaska Department Of Public Safety,State Troopers Public Information Office

Dispatch Text:

On 4/13/2026 at approximately 1420 hours, Palmer Courthouse staff requested assistance from Palmer Judicial Services in Courtroom 7 for an out-of-custody remand. At the conclusion of a change of plea hearing in case 3PA-25-02238CR, Dante Nicolai Merculief, age 25 of Homer, was arrested by Court Services Officers. Merculief pled guilty to one count of Assault in the Third Degree (recidivism); the remaining charges were dismissed. He was remanded to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility to serve 24 months with 20 months suspended.