Ryan McDonough was a doctor in Wasilla, Alaska. He was appointed to the State Medical Board by Alaska’s Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy in August 2025. He resigned in November, a few days before his arrest for possession of child sexual abuse material. In his short tenure, however, he voted in favor of disciplining doctors who provide gender-affirming care and limiting abortion access.
In July, 2025, Dropbox sent a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, informing them that McDonough appeared to have an account containing a video of a child being sexually abused. A second tip followed soon after and State Police got a search warrant for his Dropbox, GCI and Google account. They later got a search warrant and seized his computer. He was arrested in December.
A few days later his house burned to the ground and his remains were found inside. The rest of his family was unharmed. Due to his death, the case was dismissed. (3PA-25-02257CR State of Alaska vs. Mcdonough, Ryan Joseph TVJ)
- Alaska Beacon: Former state medical board member dies in house fire after arrest for child sexual abuse images
- Alaska Public Media: Wasilla doctor found dead in burned home days after charges of child sexual abuse material
December 19, 2025