District of Alaska
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Utah Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering his Wife on Cruise Ship in Southeast AlaskaRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Kenneth Ray Manzanares, 42, of Santa Clara, Utah, pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the second degree for the July 2017 killing of his wife, Kristy Manzanares, onboard the cruise ship Emerald Princess in the U.S. Territorial Waters outside Southeast Alaska.
“Every year, millions of visitors come to Alaska to marvel at the stunning scenery of the Great Land,” said U.S. Attorney Schroder. “The vast majority have a safe experience that provides a lifetime of memories. However, on those rare occasions where a crime is committed on a visitor, especially a brutal crime like the murder of Kristy Manzanares, rest assured the Alaskan law enforcement community will act to bring the perpetrator to justice. Our hearts go out to the family and those close to Kristy Manzanares.”
“We at the FBI continue to keep the family and friends of Kristy Manzanares in our thoughts,” said Jeffery Peterson, the Special Agent in Charge of FBI’s Anchorage Field Office. “The full resources of the FBI were apparent in this investigation, led by FBI Anchorage Special Agents in the Juneau Resident Agency and supported by our partners, all of whom worked fiercely to ensure justice on behalf of the victim of this heinous crime.”
According to court documents, beginning on July 24, 2017, Kenneth Manzanares, Kristy Manzanares, and Kristy’s family members were aboard the Emerald Princess on an Alaskan Cruise. On July 25, 2017, the cruise ship travelled to Juneau on the outside waters of the Alaskan coast within the special maritime and territorial waters of the United States. That same day, at approximately 8:50 p.m., Kenneth and Kristy Manzanares were inside their cabin, along with a minor child and their daughter.
According to admissions made in connection with the plea, Kenneth and Kristy Manzanares became involved in a verbal argument about Kenneth’s behavior that evening, and, during the discussion, Kristy stated she wanted a divorce and told him to disembark the vessel at Juneau in order for him to travel back home to Utah. Kenneth Manzanares told the minor child and their daughter to leave the room; both went into an adjoining relatives’ cabin. A few minutes later, they both heard Kristy Manzanares scream and attempted to reenter the cabin using their room’s adjoining door when Kenneth told them “don’t come in here.” They both went to the connected balcony and observed Kenneth Manzanares straddling Kristy Manzanares on the floor, and striking her in the head with closed fists.
Prior to security officers arriving to the cabin, Kristy Manzanares’ two brothers and father arrived on scene and observed Kenneth Manzanares grab Kristy’s body and drag her toward the balcony. One of Kristy’s brothers then grabbed her ankles and pulled her back into the cabin. Soon after, at approximately 9:03 p.m., ship security and medical personnel arrived and attempted to perform life saving measures on Kristy Manzanares, but were unsuccessful. It was determined that Kristy Manzanares was killed by blunt force trauma to her head and face. Manzanares was arrested on July 26, 2017, and has remained in federal custody.
Kenneth Manzanares faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both, for his crime. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. Additional investigative assistance was provided by the FBI’s Seattle and Salt Lake City Field Offices, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Coast Guard District 17, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
Notification Advisory for Victims Affected by Bukoski’s Dos-For-Hire Booter ServiceRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that David Bukoski, 24, of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, was recently sentenced for operating a long-running Denial of Service (DoS) for-hire service, known as Quantum Stress, which allowed paying users to conduct wide-ranging attacks on individual and corporate victim domains and networks, preventing them from being able to access the internet. In August 2019, Bukoski pleaded guilty as charged for aiding and abetting computer intrusions, and he was sentenced for his conduct on Feb. 4, 2020.
Due to the large number of potential victims in this case, Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess issued an order directing the government to employ alternative victim notification procedures so that any member of the community at large who believes they may be a crime victim is made aware of their potential rights.
The government is asking that members of the community who believe they may be a victim of Bukoski’s criminal activities, to please contact (907) 271-3041 to reach the Victim-Witness Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska.
The victim-witness program of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska, provides information, services, and support to individuals during federal prosecutions. Case updates will be provided on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak/case-updates. A restitution hearing in this case is scheduled for May 5, 2020, at 10:30 A.M. in Anchorage.
According to public court filings, Bukoski became the subject of a federal investigation when FBI agents began investigating individuals in the United States and abroad operating what were suspected to be the longest running and most prevalent DoS-for-hire services. These websites, which offered what are often called “booter” or “stresser” services, are a mechanism by which criminals can manipulate (in most cases stolen) bandwidth and architecture for the purpose of damaging the targeted victim’s access to the internet by flooding them with internet traffic with the intent of causing damage or financial loss. The FBI’s investigation ultimately identified Bukoski as one of the individuals operating and profiting from one of these booter services under the domain “quantumstress.net.”
The investigation revealed that Bukoski made a number of different subscription plans available to his approximately 70-80,000 subscribers between 2011 and 2018, all of which entailed payment by the subscriber in exchange for some period of access to attack infrastructure controlled by Bukoski. It was further revealed that Bukoski’s booter service had been used both by individuals outside of Alaska to attack Alaskan victims, as well as individuals in Alaska to attack others outside.
This case was the product of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and the FBI’s Cyber Initiative and Resource Fusion Unit (CIRFU). The case against Bukoski was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
Anchorage Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that an Anchorage man has been sentenced to federal prison for distributing methamphetamine, and for laundering drug proceeds through an auto loan for his Mercedes Benz.
Abel Cruz-Perez, 24, of Anchorage, was sentenced on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020, by Sr. U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline to serve 33 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In September 2018, Cruz-Perez pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on Oct. 24, 2016, Cruz-Perez knowingly distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine to another individual, and previously, on Dec. 8, 2014, Cruz-Perez also attempted to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute it to another individual.
On March 25, 2017, Cruz-Perez purchased a 2013 Mercedes Benz C-Class from an automobile dealership in Anchorage. Cruz-Perez obtained financing from a federally insured credit union to purchase the vehicle, and on his application, he provided his employment at J&S Commercial Services as the source of his monthly income. Between April 7 and Aug. 8, 2017, Cruz-Perez paid off a portion of the vehicle loan, sometimes transferring money from his credit union account to pay off the loan. The source of the funds transferred from his account to his loan included cash, as well as postal money order deposits, into his credit union account.
The investigation revealed that the source of the funds used to pay off his vehicle loan in whole or in part came from the distribution of controlled substances. Specifically, Cruz-Perez provided false information on his loan application and used his personal credit union account to conceal the true source and nature of the funds used to pay the vehicle loan.
The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephan Collins for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska.
Anchorage Man Indicted for Using Craigslist to Set up Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that an Anchorage man has been indicted for allegedly using Craigslist, Inc.’s internet marketplace to lure sellers to a meeting location and rob them at gunpoint.
Cloyd Lacap, Jr., 21, was named in the federal indictment charging him with interference with commerce by robbery, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Lacap is currently in federal custody, and is awaiting his first court appearance on the charges.
The indictment alleges that on Aug. 24, 2019, after identifying an iPhone for sale on Craigslist, Lacap arranged to meet with the seller at the Rustic Goat Restaurant on Turnagain Street in Anchorage. Upon meeting, Lacap robbed the seller of the iPhone at gunpoint. The indictment also alleges that earlier on the same day, after identifying another item for sale on Craigslist, this time a PlayStation gaming console, Lacap arranged to meet the PlayStation’s seller at Balto Seppala Park on Wisconsin Street in Anchorage. Upon meeting, Lacap also conducted an armed robbery on the seller.
If convicted, Lacap faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the robbery offenses, and a mandatory minimum of seven years for the firearm offense. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison O’Leary for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Idaho Man Sentenced for Guiding Without a License in Noatak Preserve and Filing False Hunting DocumentsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that an Idaho man was sentenced for multiple Lacey Act violations by unlawfully providing guided bear and moose hunts in the Noatak National Preserve.
Paul Silvis, 52, of Nampa, Idaho, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to serve six months of home confinement, followed by five years of supervised release. In addition to the sentence, Silvis was ordered to pay a $20,000 fine, and ordered not to hunt in Alaska for the remainder of his lifetime. In October 2019, Silvis pleaded guilty to two felony counts of Lacey Act violations.
According to court documents, from 2009 to 2016, Silvis, a resident of Idaho, repeatedly violated state and federal law by unlawfully providing guided bear and moose hunts in the Noatak National Preserve. Silvis was motivated by pecuniary gain, as he acquired approximately $121,500 by unlawfully selling and providing guide services, which resulted in the unlawful taking of seven brown bear and one moose.
Specifically, on Sept. 5, and Sept. 12, 2014, as well as Sept. 25, 2013, within the Noatak National Preserve, Silvas knowingly guided illegal hunts for other residents of Idaho that did not possess the appropriate permits. The investigation revealed that Silvis advertised his unlicensed guiding services under the name “Orion Outfitters,” he transported illegally taken game across state lines, and submitted false business records to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) in order to conceal the illegal take of brown bears and illegally guided hunts.
In order to lawfully hunt brown bears within the Noatak National Preserve, a non-resident hunter would be required to have contracted with a licensed big game guide, possess the appropriate ADF&G draw permits as well as purchasing the appropriate big game tags. Once the permit is obtained, hunters are required to accurately report to ADF&G the big game animals hunted or killed. Silvis was neither a licensed big game guide, nor did he, or any of his clients, possess the appropriate big game tags.
The National Park Service (NPS) and the Alaska Wildlife Troopers (AWT) conducted the investigation leading to successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Steven E. Skrocki and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas M. Walker for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska.
Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Iosia Nelson Fiso, 25, of Anchorage, was sentenced on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, while investigating a shooting that occurred on Jan. 9, 2019, in midtown Anchorage, APD officers uncovered a scope on an American Spirit ASA 15 rifle bearing Fiso’s fingerprint. The day after the shooting, APD contacted Fiso who was found to be in possession of three additional firearms that were in his girlfriend’s vehicle.
Fiso has two previous felony convictions with the State of Alaska for crimes involving misconduct involving weapons and hindering prosecution, and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms. Fiso is also currently facing unrelated murder and kidnapping charges with the State of Alaska.
The Anchorage Police Department (APD), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Alaska Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison O’Leary.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Soldotna Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Matthew Sean Bremond, 32, of Soldotna, Alaska, was sentenced yesterday by Sr. U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline, to serve nine years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing large quantities of heroin throughout the Kenai Peninsula. In September 2019, Bremond pleaded guilty to one count of drug distribution.
According to court documents, on two occasions in Soldotna in May 2018, Bremond sold 126 and 96 grams of heroin from his residence. A search of Bremond’s house, storage units, and vehicle revealed evidence of drug trafficking activities such as large quantities of firearms and cash, bullet proof vests, vehicles, as well as 700 more grams of heroin and 40 grams of cocaine intended for distribution. The amount of cash and heroin seized, as well as the prior sales of heroin, represented over 20,000 dosage units that were distributed, or intended to be distributed, into the community.
In addition to the sentence imposed, Bremond agreed to forfeit $101,173.00, two Polaris 800 snow machines, one Xtreme utility trailer, a 2014 Raptor Ford F150 truck, a 2008 Dodge Charger SRT sedan, a 2006 Nissan 350Z coupe, 58 firearms, two bullet proof vests, two fully automatic modifications for handguns, two bump stocks, and one silencer. Bremond agreed that these were proceeds from, or used to facilitate, his drug trafficking enterprise.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Beistline expressed concern that “large scale” drug traffickers like Bremond were “destroying communities.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), and the Kenai Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
Kenai Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threatening to Kill State Court Judge’s FamilyRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Kenai man has been sentenced to federal prison for threatening in a 2017 court filing to kill the family of a Superior Court Judge with the State of Alaska.
Steven Bachmeier, 43, of Kenai, was sentenced on Friday, Jan. 10, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to serve five years in prison, which is the maximum sentence allowed by statute, followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant’s sentencing guideline range was 41 to 51 months’ imprisonment. After a three-day trial in January 2019, a federal jury convicted Bachmeier of one count of mailing a threatening communication.
According to court documents, during a May 2010 hearing, the Judge denied Bachmeier’s request to withdraw a guilty plea in a felony criminal case. In response, Bachmeier became angry and threatened to “carve the flesh” from the Judge’s children. Bachmeier was sentenced to eight years in prison for the charges to which he had pleaded guilty.
In January 2017, the judge was assigned to a new civil case, which Bachmeier initiated to have his name legally changed. Bachmeier was angry that the same judge had been assigned to preside over his request to change his name, and in response, he mailed in a pleading in which he wrote “I have told her in past I’m going to kill her family, which I still [entend] to do.” (Sic).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Alaska State Troopers, Division of Judicial Services conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Veldhuis and Aunnie Steward.
Anchorage Man Convicted of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Gian Carlo Clemente Pangilinan, 23, of Anchorage, was found guilty after a three-day federal jury trial. The jury found Pangilinan guilty of one count of possession of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
According to evidence presented at trial, Anchorage Police were looking for Pangilinan on July 9, 2019, and found him in the Burger King parking lot near Penland Parkway. Once Pangilinan saw the police, he scaled a fence and fled on foot into the Penland Parkway neighborhood, shedding items of clothing and other personal items along the way, to include his cellular telephone and a baggie containing 162 grams of 99 percent pure methamphetamine. Despite his attempt to evade law enforcement, the Anchorage Police pursued Pangilinan on foot and took him into custody.
Evidence pulled from Pangilinan’s cellular telephone in the form of text messages and direct messages on social media established that, since December 2018, Pangilinan had been distributing many different types of illegal controlled substances (to include heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine) in quantities ranging from one gram to several ounces. Specifically, individuals would contact Pangilinan via text or direct message on social media asking for different quantities of illegal controlled substances; Pangilinan would then respond with a price and agree to meet up with them.
The jury also heard evidence of a separate incident that occurred in February 2019, when the Anchorage Police responded to a call of shots fired near the Mountain View car wash. When the Anchorage Police attempted to contact Pangilinan, he attempted to flee on foot. During the chase, Pangilinan again began shedding personal items to include his cellular telephone and a baggie containing methamphetamine.
At the time of the July 2019 incident, Pangilinan was out on release from the State of Alaska in four pending criminal cases, to include Vehicle Theft in the First Degree, Assault in the Third Degree, Resisting Arrest, and Violating Conditions of his Release
As a result of Pangilinan’s federal conviction, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to a $10,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Anchorage Police Department (APD), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Cavanaugh and Kyle Reardon.
James Michael Wells Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Murdering Two Coast Guard EmployeesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that James Michael Wells, 68, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to serve life in federal prison for the April 2012 murders of two U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) employees, Electrician’s Mate First Class James Hopkins and retired Chief Boatswain’s Mate Richard Belisle.
Wells was arrested in February 2013 for the murders of Hopkins and Belisle, who were both Wells’ co-workers at the USCG antenna maintenance facility, located at the USCG Communication Station (COMMSTA) on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Wells was convicted in 2014 and the case was reversed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in December 2017. After a three-week long re-trial that ended in October 2019, a federal jury convicted Wells of two counts of first degree murder, two counts of murder of an officer or employee of the United States, and two counts of possession and use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
“James Wells has received the sentence he deserves for snuffing out the lives of two fine men,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder. “The thought of a Coast Guard employee plotting and killing two of his shipmates is shocking and abhorrent in an organization known for its core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty. Petty Officer First Class James Hopkins and retired Chief Rich Belisle embodied those values, and their families can take comfort in two lives well-lived.”
“This case illustrates the tireless pursuit and determination of agents and prosecutors to ensure justice was served on behalf of the Hopkins and Belisle families, who remain in our thoughts,” said Jeffery Peterson, the Special Agent in Charge of FBI’s Anchorage Field Office. “This sentence is also particularly impactful, given the close relationship we at the FBI, and many Alaskans, have with the U.S. Coast Guard. The unique partnership shared between the FBI, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Alaska State Troopers, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office was essential to this successful outcome.”
“This was a heinous and cowardly act committed upon two members of the Coast Guard family,” said Paul M. Shultz, the Special Agent in Charge of CGIS Northwest Region. “It is a relief that after nearly eight years, family and loved ones can find closure.”
Evidence at trial established that on April 12, 2012, between 7:09 and 7:14 a.m., Wells had shot and killed Hopkins and Belisle with a .44 revolver while working at their duty stations in the Rigger Shop at COMMSTA. First responders noted no evidence of a break-in or robbery and both men appeared to be victims of a targeted killing. Wells was due to arrive at the Rigger Shop the same time respectively as Hopkins and Belisle, but instead left two phone messages for Hopkins and Belisle, noted to be after the victims’ time of death, stating Wells was running late due to a flat tire. Wells ended up arriving to the Rigger Shop over an hour after his normal start time, immediately claiming to have had a flat tire.
USCG security videos captured Wells passing the Main Gate at Base Kodiak at 6:48 a.m. in his white Dodge truck on his way toward the Kodiak Airport, and returning back toward his residence at 7:22 a.m. However, a small blue SUV, owned by Wells, was captured on USCG security videos passing the Rigger Shop front entrance. The evidence showed Wells drove his white Dodge pickup truck to the airport, where he swapped vehicles and drove Nancy Wells’ blue Honda CR-V to COMMSTA to commit the murders. There was a 34-minute period of time for which James Wells could not account and that unexplained discrepancy captured the attention of the interviewing agents. Additionally, a tire with a nail in it was seized and through extensive testing, the examiner concluded that the nail had been manually inserted into the tire, undermining the foundation of Wells’ alibi that he had picked up a nail while driving to work on the morning of the murders.
At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason made specific findings for the record that Wells threatened or unlawfully interfered with witnesses and that during the trial, Wells testified on several occasions in a “materially false manner.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case, with support from the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), and the Alaska State Troopers (AST). Deputy Criminal Chief Steven Skrocki prosecuted the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Sherman, and U.S. Coast Guard Commander Kelly Stevens, who was appointed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Victim Assistance Advisory for Patients of Jessica Joyce Spayd’s Eagle River Wellness CenterRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – In October 2019, U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Special Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested 48-year-old Jessica Joyce Spayd, a former licensed Advanced Nurse Practitioner and owner of Eagle River Wellness, alleging illegal distribution of opioids such as oxycodone, methadone, and hydromorphone.
On Dec. 30, 2019, Senior U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline issued an order directing the government to employ alternative victim notification procedures so that any member of the community at large who believes they may be a crime victim is made aware of their potential rights.
The government is asking that members of the community who believe they may be a victim of overprescribed opioids by ANP Jessica Spayd, Eagle River Wellness, to please contact (907) 271-3041 to reach the Victim-Witness Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska.
Former patients of Spayd’s or their families may still be facing the aftermath of overprescribed opioid narcotics. The victim-witness program of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska, provides information, services, and support to individuals during federal prosecutions.
Case updates will be provided on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak/united-states-v-spayd. Please also be aware of these free, confidential resources that may be of assistance:
- Always call 911 if it’s a life-threatening emergency.
- To find supportive services, dial 2-1-1 to call United Way. Operational hours are 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. If you call after-hours, please leave a message. Phone calls will be returned the next business day. 2-1-1 provides information and referral service that connect people to vital community, health and social services provided by a range of nonprofit, government and tribal agencies.
- SAMHSA has a national helpline to assist with finding behavioral health support or substance use management at 800-662-HELP (4357), TTY: 800-487-4889, or online at https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/. Calls are manned 24/7 and are routed to the DHSS Division of Behavioral Health during DHSS operational hours.
- Help is available 24/7 through Alaska's crisis hotline, Careline, which provides help for people who are either in crisis or who are dealing with isolation or depression. Call 1-877-266-HELP (4357).
- For Patient Information and Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Discontinued Prescriptions: http://www.dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Director/Pages/opioids/news.aspx
The charges in the complaint and indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
- Always call 911 if it’s a life-threatening emergency.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Total Prosecutions against Defendants Who Illegally Possessed Firearms in 2019Read the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that, in 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged 65 defendants with unlawful possession of a firearm. These indictments emphasize prosecution against individuals convicted of felonies or misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, and who would therefore be prohibited from possessing firearms.
Unlawful possession of a firearm carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison. To date, nine of the 65 defendants face additional charges for their alleged participation in varied criminal conduct that involved firearms, including bank robbery and armed drug trafficking.
“Violent crime remains a critical problem in Alaska,” said U.S. Attorney Schroder. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made prosecution of gun crimes one of our highest priorities. As a result of these efforts, we have taken over 200 gun carrying criminals off the streets since 2017.”
The charges are a result of initiatives stemming from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s signature gun and gang reduction program, and the District’s Anti-Violent Crime Strategy, which brings together local, state, and federal authorities to combat rising crime in Alaska. As part of this strategy, the Anchorage Police Department is also utilizing ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.
These cases are often developed through cooperation with the State of Alaska Department of Law, and investigated by local, state, and federal authorities to include the Anchorage Police Department (APD), Alaska State Troopers (AST), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). In addition, and in partnership with the Municipality of Anchorage, an Assistant Municipal Prosecutor has been appointed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute firearm and drug offenses as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA).
Last month, the Department of Justice announced the launch of Project Guardian, a nationwide strategic plan to reduce gun violence. Project Guardian serves as a complementary effort to the success of PSN, and emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
Former Deputy Director of Alaska Dept. of Juvenile Justice Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Dennis Weston, 55, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to serve four years in federal prison, followed by 10 years supervised release, on one count of sexual exploitation of a child – possession of child pornography. Weston pleaded guilty as charged in October 2019.
According to court documents, in April 2017, Weston responded to an online advertisement and began a year-long dialogue with an undercover FBI agent regarding the exploitation of the fictional child named “Becky” that was referenced in the post, among other child exploitation topics. Weston communicated with the undercover agent using his cell phone, and called himself “John.” The investigation revealed that “John” was actually Weston, who at that time was working as the Deputy Director of the State of Alaska Department of Juvenile Justice, and in that capacity, served as the superintendent of McLaughlin Youth Center.
During a search of Weston’s residence, a laptop was seized that revealed 22 images depicting child sexual exploitation, and evidence that Weston had accessed the so-called “dark web” by using a Tor browser to search for images of child exploitation. Of the 22 images depicting a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct recovered from Weston’s computer, ten of the images featured children under the age of 12.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Gleason noted that Mr. Weston had abused the trust of the community, and that the sentence was intended to convey the fact that “all of us in this society are accountable to the law.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department and State of Alaska Department of Juvenile Justice, leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In May 2006, DOJ launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Two Anchorage Men Charged for their Roles in the December 2019 Armed Robbery of Wells Fargo BankRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that two Anchorage men have been charged for their roles in the December 2019 armed robbery of a Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., branch located at 5740 Debarr Road in Anchorage.
Totoe Opeti Sakaria, Jr., 22, of Anchorage, was named in the indictment charging him with bank robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. His co-defendant, Brandon David McDonald, 23, of Anchorage, has been charged with accessory after the fact to bank robbery.
According to documents filed in the case, on Dec. 4, 2019, two masked men entered the bank and ordered the security guard and bank manager to get on the ground. One of the men approached a teller and demanded money, obtaining $2,624. The other man held a shotgun and demanded that everyone get, and stay, on the ground. Sakaria and McDonald were identified as suspects through still photos from surveillance footage that were released to the public. Two days later, on Dec. 6, 2019, FBI special agents recovered the shotgun from the crawlspace of a residence associated with McDonald.
If the public has any further information regarding this investigation, please contact Anchorage FBI at (907) 276-4441.
If convicted, Sakaria faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison, for the most serious charges alleged. McDonald faces a maximum penalty of up to 12.5 years in federal prison for the charge alleged. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, any sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison O’Leary.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Government Contractor Charged in Scheme to Defraud U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Dale Johnson, 57, of Anchorage, has been charged with one count of conspiracy for his role in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) into issuing Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) government “set-aside” contracts to unqualified private contractors. A plea agreement has also been filed in this case, and Johnson is currently awaiting his Change of Plea hearing to be scheduled.
Johnson’s co-conspirators, Richard Vaughan, 72, and Donald Garner, 47, have been charged in a separate 31-count indictment with bribery and wire fraud charges in connection with the scheme.
Vaughan was a VA contract officer representative and was responsible for awarding and managing numerous contracts awarded by the VA, including certain SDVOSB “set-aside” contracts. Johnson was the owner of ADALECO General LLC, and Garner was the owner of Veteran Ability, which were both government contractors that provided various services to the U.S. government, including the VA in Anchorage.
The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the federal government responsible for aiding, counseling, assisting and protecting the interests of small business concerns. The SBA and VA administered a program to award SDVOSB “set-aside” contracts, which could only be awarded to small business concerns owned and controlled by qualified Service-Disabled Veterans (SDVs).
In October 2014, ADALECO had an SDVOSB certification, while Veteran Ability did not. According to court documents, Johnson falsely certified to the VA that his company ADALECO would perform a majority of the work on a snow removal contract awarded in October 2014, which was a “set-aside” contract for a certified SDVOSB contractor. The investigation revealed, however, that it was actually Garner and Veteran Ability, along with other non-SDVOSB companies, who performed 100% of the work under the snow removal contract. Johnson received 5-10% of every payment under the contract as a “kickback” for allowing Garner to use ADALECO’s SDVOSB certification, which amounted to approximately $54,302. Johnson also made other misrepresentations to the VA in furtherance of the fraudulent scheme.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General, Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, and General Services Administration Office of the Inspector General, conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan D. Tansey and Kyle Reardon.
The charges against Johnson are merely allegations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fairbanks Woman Charged for Firearm Offenses and Attempted Credit Union RobberyRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Tiffany Jamil Flenaugh, 29, of Fairbanks, has been named in two separate federal indictments for crimes including attempted credit union robbery, receipt of a firearm while under felony indictment, and possession of a stolen firearm. Flenaugh is currently in custody in Fairbanks, and is awaiting her first court appearance on the charges.
The federal indictment alleges that, on Nov. 19, 2019, Flenaugh was in possession of a stolen firearm, while knowingly under indictment by the State of Alaska for multiple felony offenses. Specifically, according to state court documents, Flenaugh allegedly stole a firearm from the Rabinowitz Courthouse in Fairbanks, which was being used as evidence for a trial in which Flenaugh was the defendant. It is alleged that Flenaugh then fled the courthouse with the firearm, a Taurus 450 Titanium .45 caliber revolver. Flenaugh was apprehended by officers with the Fairbanks Police Department shortly after, and the firearm was located in a nearby park.
A separate federal indictment alleges that, on Sept. 3, 2019, Flenaugh attempted to rob the Spirit of Alaska Federal Credit Union in Fairbanks.
If convicted of the firearm offenses, Flenaugh faces a maximum of up to ten years in federal prison for the most serious charges alleged. If Flenaugh is convicted of attempted credit union robbery, she faces a maximum of up to 20 years in federal prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Fairbanks Police Department (FPD) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the charges against Flenaugh for her alleged firearm offenses. The FBI and FPD conducted the investigation leading to the charge against Flenaugh for attempted credit union robbery. Both cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan D. Tansey.
The charges in the indictments are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Six-Time Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Carlos Lamont Holt, III, a/k/a, “Heavy”, 54, of Anchorage, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, to serve 72 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court documents, on Nov. 18, 2018, Holt entered the lobby of the Black Angus Inn and got into a verbal altercation with the front desk clerk. Holt then exited the lobby, pulled out a firearm and fired several shots into the lobby of the Black Angus Inn. Holt then got into the passenger seat of a 2006 Ford Focus and drove away. Holt was identified as the shooter by the front desk clerk, security guard, and several passengers in the Ford Focus. The Anchorage Police did not recover the firearm, but did recover the shell casings of the bullets shot by Holt into the Black Angus Inn lobby. Holt has 30 prior criminal convictions, to include six prior felony convictions, along with multiple drug possession and drug trafficking offenses.
Before imposing a sentence, Judge Gleason commented that civilized society is not a place where people can resolve disputes by firing weapons into hotel lobbies, and this creates a danger to the community. Judge Gleason hoped this sentence would act as a deterrent to other individuals that have felony convictions that seek to possess firearms and that this sentence would protect the community from Mr. Holt while he was in custody.
The Anchorage Police Department (APD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crime involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
Bethel Elementary Principal Arrested and Charged for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Christopher Allen Carmichael, 55, a principal working in the Lower Kuskokwim School District in Bethel, Alaska, has been charged with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Carmichael was arrested yesterday, and is currently awaiting his initial court appearance.
Carmichael became the subject of a federal investigation in November 2019, when the Bethel Police Department contacted the FBI concerning Carmichael’s online activities. During the course of the investigation, Carmichael began engaging in graphic sexual communications with an undercover FBI agent posing as a fictional 13-year-old girl. The complaint alleges that, in a series of text messages in December 2019, Carmichael described in graphic detail several acts he would do to her that were sexually explicit. The complaint alleges that Carmichael continued to remind the fictional 13-year-old girl to delete their messages, and that it was really important they keep referring to her like she was eighteen so that he wouldn’t get into trouble.
If the public has any further information regarding Carmichael’s activities,
please contact Anchorage FBI at (907) 276-4441.
If convicted, Carmichael faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison for the most serious charges alleged. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, the Bethel Police Department (BPD), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Reardon.
The investigation is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Under the Rural Alaska Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAAVEN), the U.S. Attorney’s Office is increasing engagement, coordination, and action on public safety in Alaska Native communities.
The charges in the criminal complaint are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chugiak Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Donald Eugene Phillips, 37, of Chugiak, was sentenced today by Sr. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline, to serve nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for failing to register as a sex offender. In July 2019, Phillips was charged with one count of failure to register, and he subsequently pleaded guilty without a plea agreement.
According to court documents, in 2010, when he was 27 years old, Phillips was convicted of a sex offense in Oregon stemming from abuse of a 15-year-old girl who became pregnant with his child. Phillips has been required to register as a sex offender ever since, but prior to the filing of charges in Alaska, the last time he registered was in Oregon in July 2015. This last registration came shortly before he fled an Oregon arrest warrant and moved to Alaska. As a result of Phillips’ sex offense conviction in the State of Oregon, he was required under federal law to register as a sex offender for a period of 15 years. While in Alaska, Phillips knowingly failed to register as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Phillips’ longstanding failure to register was discovered after an Oregon law enforcement officer, who suspected Phillips had moved to Alaska, contacted the Alaska Sex Offender Registry office and reported Phillips was not in compliance.
At Phillips’ sentencing hearing, Judge Beistline noted the importance of deterring other sex offenders from failing to register, explaining that, “the law has to have backbone.”
The United States Marshals Service (USMS) conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Alaska Department of Public Safety and the Oregon State Police, leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison O’Leary.
Justice Department Announces Landmark Money Mule InitiativeRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr and law enforcement partners today announced a concentrated effort across the country and around the world to halt money mule activity. Money mules assist fraud schemes by receiving money from victims, many of them elderly, and forwarding proceeds to foreign-based perpetrators. During the two-month initiative announced today, U.S. law enforcement disrupted mule networks that spanned from Hawaii to Florida and from Alaska to Maine. Actions were taken to halt the conduct of over 600 domestic money mules, exceeding a similar effort against approximately 400 mules last year. The Department of Justice also tripled the number of criminal prosecutions brought against money mules as compared to last year’s initiative.
Attorney General Barr thanked the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch for coordinating the effort. The coordinators recruited a broad coalition of law enforcement partners, including the U.S. Secret Service, the IRS Criminal Investigation, the Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the Office of the Attorneys General for the States of Indiana and Wyoming. The U.S. initiative coincided with the European Money Mule Action (EMMA), https://www.europol.europa.eu/activities-services/public-awareness-and-prevention-guides/money-muling, a simultaneous global effort to halt money mule activity announced by Europol today.
U.S. federal and state law enforcement activity included the following:
- Actions were taken to halt the conduct of more than 600 money mules, spanning over 85 federal districts.
- Actions addressed a variety of elder fraud scheme types, including grandparent scams, romance scams, lottery and sweepstakes scams, IRS and Social Security Administration imposter scams, veteran and social security benefit redirection scams, and technical-support scams.
- Law enforcement interviewed more than 550 individuals and served over 500 warning letters on individuals who recently served as money mules for fraud schemes. The letters informed recipients that they could be prosecuted if they continue aiding and abetting fraud schemes.
- More than 30 individuals were criminally charged, in part, for their roles in receiving victim payments and providing the fraud proceeds to accomplices.
- Search warrants were executed to secure evidence from money mules who knowingly aided and abetted fraud schemes, including a number of transnational elder fraud schemes.
“Protecting our senior citizens from criminals who target them is one of the Trump Administration’s highest priorities,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Money mules –wittingly and unwittingly – supply the lifeblood of transnational elder fraud schemes. This landmark initiative has significantly impaired certain ways criminals steal from its elderly victims. The Department of Justice and its federal, state, and international partners are committed to shutting down these despicable enterprises that exploit the most vulnerable in our society.”
“The Money Mule initiative highlights the importance of partnership to stop fraud schemes, and it sends a message to all who are engaged in money mule activity that they will be caught and prosecuted,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “I want to thank our state and local partners for all their efforts to protect the American people from these threats.”
As part of the money mule initiative, members of the Department’s Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force—which the Attorney General established in June 2019 to combat foreign elder fraud schemes—brought criminal cases alleging that defendants knowingly funneled fraud proceeds to perpetrators including:
- On Nov. 27, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced an indictment against Nnamdi MgBodile for his alleged role in a romance scam and business email compromise fraud;
- On Nov. 25, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced an indictment against alleged perpetrators of a veteran and social security benefit redirection scam, which involved extensive use of money mules; and
- On Nov. 14, the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch announced the indictment of six individuals for an alleged mass mailing fraud scheme in which a co-conspirator was charged with knowingly receiving payments from elderly victims and supplying them to scheme leaders; and
Additional criminal cases were brought as part of the two-month money mule initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Texas, the Eastern District of Kentucky, the District of Alaska, the District of Arizona, the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, the Northern District of Oklahoma, the Southern District of New York, the District of Puerto Rico, the Eastern District of Missouri, the District of Delaware, and the District of Rhode Island.
The above charges are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
“Since Congress passed the Mail Fraud Statute over 100 years ago, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service has protected citizens from fraud schemes,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Deceptive solicitations take advantage of the American public with promises of easy money, when in reality, the scammers are the only ones making money. Postal Inspectors are working hard to protect the American public and ensure their confidence in the U.S. mail.”
Attorney General Barr thanked the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) for its support of the money mule initiative. Financial analysis and data supplied by FinCEN allowed law enforcement to identify and prevent money mule activity and elder fraud schemes, as highlighted by a report FinCEN issued today. Attorney General Barr also expressed appreciation for financial institutions across the nation that identify suspicious activity and report it to FinCEN, enabling federal, state, and local law enforcement to take rapid action against ongoing schemes.
Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. In particular, this past March the Department announced the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history, charging more than 260 defendants in a nationwide elder fraud sweep. The Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of EAPPA. In October, the Department also partnered with the Oak Ridge Boys and AARP in issuing a public service announcement to raise awareness about the grave financial threat posed by elder fraud.
The Department of Justice has an interactive tool for elders who have been financially exploited to help determine to which agency they should report their incident, and also a senior scam alert website.
Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP.
- Actions were taken to halt the conduct of more than 600 money mules, spanning over 85 federal districts.
U.S. Attorney and FBI Announce Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons InitiativeRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffery Peterson announce the District of Alaska’s role in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative, a national strategy to address missing and murdered Alaska Natives and Native Americans, recently launched by U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr on Nov. 22, 2019. Federal prosecutors and the FBI are to enhance investigations into missing persons, develop protocols for law enforcement, improve data collection and analysis, and provide training and technical assistance.
The strategy has three parts:
Establish MMIP coordinators: The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska will receive funding for one MMIP Coordinator. The MMIP Coordinator will work closely with federal, tribal, state, and local agencies to develop common protocols and procedures for responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people.
Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams: In response to the Ashley Johnson-Barr abduction and murder in Kotzebue, Alaska, the FBI deployed a variety of specially trained personnel and equipment. As a result of that case, the Anchorage FBI organized the first of its kind “state based” Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) Team, by training members of state and local law enforcement in the specialized techniques used by the FBI’s national CARD. These techniques directly apply to any missing person case and call upon the specialized skills described in the Attorney General’s initiative. Upon request by a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency, the FBI will provide expert assistance based upon the circumstances of a missing indigenous persons case. The FBI’s most advanced response capabilities will be brought to bear on these cases: such as CARD teams, Cellular Analysis Support Teams, Evidence Response Teams, Cyber Agents for timely analysis of digital evidence/social media, Victim Services personnel, and others assets as needed.
Comprehensive Data Analysis: The Attorney General’s initiative states the Department will perform in-depth analysis of federally supported databases and analyze data collection practices to identify opportunities to improve missing persons data and share the results of this analysis with our partners in this effort. The Anchorage FBI, in close coordination with the Alaska State Troopers, began analyzing all Alaska missing persons data in July, 2019. This study was conceived as a result of the number of cases involving missing Alaska Natives in order to arrive at an accurate, defendable number of reported missing persons and the circumstances surrounding each case. The FBI and the Alaska State Troopers hope to have publicly releasable information regarding the study in the coming months.
More broadly, the MMIP Initiative will involve a coordinated effort by more than 50 U.S. Attorneys on Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS, including U.S. Attorney Schroder), the FBI, and the Office of Tribal Justice with support from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
“Attorney General Barr’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative will enhance public safety partnerships in rural Alaska,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska Bryan Schroder, “helping us provide justice for families mourning a murder victim or assistance to communities searching for a missing friend or neighbor.”
Special Agent in Charge Peterson added: “The FBI has been and will continue to be a reliable partner to our state and local counterparts as we work to support the Alaska Native population. Through surging investigative capacity, providing specialized skills and training, performing data analysis, or the deployment of national assets, we remain committed to serving the Alaska Native community.”
This announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination, and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Serial Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 15-Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Robert Walls, 28, was sentenced on Nov. 26, 2019, to 15-years in federal prison followed by a life term of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason for coercion and enticement of three minor victims in Anchorage.
Walls was indicted in this case in July, 2018. At that time, he was enlisted in the United States Army, stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Anchorage, Alaska, and aware that he was the subject of an investigation by the Anchorage Police Department regarding his activities, which continued even after APD served a search warrant at his barracks.
Investigation revealed that while Walls was stationed at JBER and residing in base housing the winter of 2017 through early spring of 2018, he used various social media applications to meet, groom, and entice female children between the ages of 14 and 16 for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity, including the production of child pornography. Walls admitted to his conduct in regards to three identified victims, but social media account searches exposed several additional potential victims whose identity has not yet been established. All unidentified victims are encouraged to contact APD.
Walls lied about his age to juvenile females in order to groom and entice juvenile females in Anchorage for sexual exploitation. Walls went so far as to smuggle juveniles onto base facilities by hiding them in his vehicle and smuggling them in through his first-floor bedroom window.
Anchorage Police Department (APD) Crimes Against Children Unit (CACU) received a report from a courageous victim once she learned of Walls’ true age, his relationship with another juvenile, and the potential of being exposed to a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
The Anchorage Police Department (APD) Crimes Against Children Unit (CACU) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.
Alaska Pilot Convicted by Jury for Obstructing Investigations for the 2014 Atigun Pass Airplane CrashRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that on Nov. 25, 2019, an Anchorage jury convicted Forest M. Kirst, 62, of Fairbanks, Alaska, of two counts of obstruction of proceedings before federal agencies.
Trial evidence demonstrated that a Ryan Navion airplane piloted by Kirst, d/b/a Kirst Aviation, was involved in an accident near Atigun Pass, Alaska, on Aug. 24, 2014. Three Canadian tourists were passengers aboard the airplane on a one-day sightseeing excursion before beginning an Alaska cruise. Kirst left Bettles, Alaska, and began flying too low over infrastructure. After circling over a moose in a pond, the airplane lacked the power and altitude to clear Atigun Pass in the Brooks Range. The airplane crashed on the side of the mountain below the Dalton Highway and above a pipeline maintenance road.
Fortunately, numerous people were in the vicinity maintaining the Dalton Highway and servicing the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and were able to respond to the crash. All passengers sustained serious injuries and one of the passengers died 35-days later as a result of his injuries. The accident was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Kirst’s airman certificate was revoked by the FAA following the accident and Kirst appealed the revocation.
Kirst was convicted of lying to the NTSB and FAA during agency proceedings when he stated during an interview with NTSB officials that he was at a higher altitude than GPS evidence showed, and lying during the FAA administrative hearings when he testified that his airplane dropped in altitude approximately 1,500 feet just prior to the crash.
The NTSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States, among other duties. The NTSB conducts investigations to determine the “probable cause” of transportation accidents and to formulate safety recommendations to improve transportation safety. The NTSB also serves as the “court of appeals” for any airman whenever certificate actions, such as a revocation, have been taken by the FAA.
Sentencing is scheduled Feb. 20, 2020, before United States District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline. Kirst faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both. Under federal sentencing statutes, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Retta Randall and Charisse Arce.
Kodiak Man Arraigned on Drug Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Cenen Placencia, 71, of Kodiak, was arraigned today on a complaint charging him with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
On Nov. 20, 2019, Placencia was ticketed to depart from Anchorage International Airport, destined for Kodiak, Alaska. Investigators from the Alaska State Troopers (AST) Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team (AAIT) requested Placencia’s consent to search his checked luggage, which consisted of a 47-pound fish box that was duct taped shut with a rope tied around the box.
After obtaining Placencia’s consent, the box was opened and investigators observed loosely wrapped meat pieces frozen together in a single large mass. The meat did not appear to be for human consumption, and packaging and shipping was inconsistent with the standard methods of meat processing. Investigators obtained Placencia’s consent to fully thaw and search the meat while he waited for the next Kodiak flight. As the meat was thawing, investigators detected an odor consistent with spoiled meat, no longer safe for consumption.
10 duct tape wrapped balls, each slightly larger than a golf ball, were found lodged inside the intestines of what investigators believed to be a goat and contained, in total, six packages of approximately 389 grams of meth and six packages of approximately 740.5 grams of heroin.
Placencia stated he purchased the goat for $140 from a rancher in California, packed the box himself, and intended to eat the goat intestines. Further, he denied having any knowledge of the meth and heroin found inside the goat.
If convicted, Placencia faces a statutory maximum of 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine, and a minimum of 4 years of supervised release. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Alaska State Troopers (AST) Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team (AAIT) and Coast Guard Investigative Services (CGIS) conducted the investigation leading to the charge in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Sherman.
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Anchorage Sex Offender Arrested and Detained After Continued Child Exploitation Conduct While on House ArrestRead the Press Release
Alex AsinoAnchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Alex Asino, 31, was arrested on Nov. 14, 2019, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Child Exploitation Task Force and was indicted by the Anchorage Grand Jury Wednesday, Nov. 20, in an eight count indictment alleging child sex trafficking, production and distribution of child pornography, and coercion and enticement of a minor.
In September of 2018, Asino was charged by the State of Alaska for delivering a controlled substance to a minor, sexual abuse of a minor, and possession of child pornography. He was subsequently released on bail and placed under house arrest. While on house arrest, Asino continued to engage in the sexual exploitation of children, according to a criminal complaint filed in this matter.
Per the complaint, Asino’s alleged conduct came to the attention of the FBI on Nov. 7, 2019. During online communications, Asino told an undercover law enforcement officer he had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female. Asino told the undercover law enforcement officer that he met the minor through a social media application. During his communications with the undercover officer, Asino sent images of the 15-year old victim’s body and face to the undercover officer, and then directed the undercover officer to a website where Asino had posted sexually explicit images of the victim. As a result of further investigation thus far, the FBI has identified one additional minor who was allegedly victimized by Asino.
According to the complaint, Asino would prey on his minor victims through online social media applications, such as, but not limited to, Snapchat, Tagged, and Whisper, and would meet minor females through pay dating websites. Asino allegedly distributed meth, cash, food, gifts, and cab fares to minors in exchange for sexual favors. Asino is also accused of posting images of child pornography and personal videos of sexual acts with minors on pornographic websites.
If the public has any further information regarding Asino’s activities,
please contact Anchorage FBI at (907) 276-4441.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Anchorage Police Department (APD) as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the arrest in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.
Anchorage Men Indicted on Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Peter Michael Burno, 45, and Billy Bob Bell, III, 44, were indicted yesterday on drug trafficking charges.
The criminal complaint reports that on or about Oct. 31, 2019, to Nov. 6, 2019, Burno and Bell attempted to possess and distribute meth in Alaska. On Nov. 4, 2019, approximately 8.4 pounds of meth shipped from California was intercepted in Anchorage by U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and local law enforcement agencies.
On Nov. 5, 2019, the package with a representative sample of meth was delivered to the recipient. Two men were waiting in a vehicle at the address and quickly took possession of the package. Law enforcement agencies followed the individuals to Wasilla, Alaska, where the package was opened. Several suspects were taken into custody. Text messages between Burno and the individuals who accepted the package indicated the individuals who accepted the package were retrieving it for Burno because he was in California. Burno was taken into custody when he returned to Anchorage on Nov. 6, 2019.
If convicted, Burno and Bell face a statutory maximum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10M fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Wasilla Felon and Person of Interest in Triple Homicide Detained and Indicted on Possession of 16 Rounds of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Juan Camarena, 51, of Wasilla, was indicted today with one count of felon in possession of ammunition. Camarena is a person of interest in the triple homicide in Wasilla, Alaska on Nov. 2, 2019. During the course of the triple homicide investigation, law enforcement agencies discovered and seized Camarena’s illegally possessed ammunition that was stored in his trailer.
Camarena’s six convictions in the District Court of California between 1987 and 2015 are listed in the indictment. Felonious behavior has spanned 34 years, comprising of, but not limited to, possession with intent to distribute meth, assault with a deadly weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, evading peace officer, possessing, manufacturing, and selling dangerous weapons, and street gang participation.
Between, on or about Nov. 1, 2019, to Nov. 11, 2019, Camarena illegally possessed twelve 9mm rounds located in the bathroom cubby, one .40 live round located in a magazine on the shelf in the bedroom, one 9mm live round located in the living room, one .45 live round located in the bedroom closet, and one 9mm live round located in a cubby behind the toilet.
If the public has any further information regarding Camarena’s activities,
please contact Alaska State Troopers at (907) 352-5401.
If convicted, Camarena faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years supervised release. Camarena would also have to forfeit any firearm or ammunition involved in or used in knowing violation of the offense. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Alaska State Troopers (AST), the Alaska Criminal Intelligence Center, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Anchorage Police Department (APD), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Anchorage Brothers and Repeat Offenders Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Anchorage brothers and repeat drug trafficking offenders Dwayne Dollison, Jr., 37, and Kenneth Martin Douglas, 35, were each sentenced to 15-year prison sentences by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason for a drug trafficking conspiracy involving firearms. Dollison was sentenced to an additional 7 months for violating the supervised release conditions of a previous drug trafficking offense.
This case originated from a late-night traffic stop by an Alaska State Trooper (AST) in September of 2017. The stop involved two caravanning vehicles that were speeding inbound on the Parks Highway near Fairbanks. One of the vehicles belonged to Douglas and was occupied by Douglas and Dollison, and the other had been rented by the brothers and was occupied by their female companions. After finding a small amount of heroin in the passenger compartment of the rental car, AST obtained a search warrant and searched the rental car’s trunk. They found approximately 154 grams of cocaine, 44 grams of crack, 27 grams of methamphetamine, and 12 grams of heroin located in and around duffle bags that also contained two Smith & Wesson 9 mm handguns. The guns and duffle bags were subsequently tied to Dollison and Douglas by, among other things, DNA and fingerprints. One of the guns had been stolen in Wasilla.
Investigation revealed that Dollison and Douglas orchestrated the drug trafficking operation to maximize the possibility that, if caught running the drugs to Fairbanks, their female companions would be prosecuted rather than them. After the September 2017 traffic stop, Dollison also tracked down one of the woman and offered her money to claim the drugs found in the trunk of the rental car were hers.
This is Douglas’ third drug trafficking conviction and Dollison’s second. The brothers were convicted of trafficking drugs together in 2009 and were released from federal custody in 2015, following retroactive sentencing reductions.
The Alaska State Troopers (AST) with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Sayers-Fay and Allison O’Leary.
Justice Department Awards over $42 Million to Improve Public Safety and Serve Crime Victims in Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that in the past 90 days, the Department of Justice has awarded over $49 million in grants to Alaska Native communities and tribal organizations to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women, and support youth programs. That amount includes the $42 million recently announced by Attorney General William Barr at the 2019 Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in Fairbanks. These grants to Alaska were part of $273.4 million in grants that were awarded nationwide to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
In Alaska, the problems with violent crime in rural areas are so severe that this summer the Attorney General declared a law enforcement emergency, providing additional resources to our state. At that time, the AG announced $6 million in Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance (EFLEA) grants, and $5 million in grants from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Tribal Resources Grant Program (TRGP). The $49 million in grants are in addition to the EFLEA and TRGP funding and show the continued commitment of the Department of Justice to the people of rural Alaska, and to the state as a whole.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native communities and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS), a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the COPS. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Alaska’s share of this nationwide grant funding was significant. Over $20 million of the CTAS grant funding was awarded to Alaska. In addition, over $22 million of the set-aside funding for victims of crime was also awarded to Alaska Native communities and tribal entities. Those grant funds alone totaled over $42 million dollars, as the Attorney General announced to the delegates of the Alaska Federation of Natives. Alaska Native communities and tribal organizations will also have access to an additional $7 million in “micro-grants” through the Denali Commission to help provide victim services, including capacity building and technical assistance.
- A listing of CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards.
- A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
Note: The significance of the number in the left column next to each Alaska Native community refers to the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (“CTAS”) purpose area that the tribe identified when applying for the grant, more info here: /media/1116486/dl?inline
This announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Arenas Pled Guilty to Preparing False Federal Income Tax Returns for Anchorage Spanish-Speaking Community MembersRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that on Tuesday Jose Luis Arenas, 65, pled guilty to 5 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false federal individual income tax returns with a clientele primarily of Spanish-speaking members of the Anchorage community, charging them $100 to $600 per return.
Arenas had tax preparation training through H&R Block, but since 2012 has never been a registered tax preparer in Anchorage, Alaska. According to the Plea Agreement, between tax years 2013 and 2016, Arenas consistently failed to indicate that he had filed them as a paid, professional preparer. Instead, the returns appeared to be filed individually by the taxpayers. Arenas would obtain undue tax refunds for his clients by inflating certain Schedule A deductions, particularly medical expenses and charitable giving. Oftentimes, Arenas would fabricate medical expenses, unbeknownst to his clients.
“Shady tax return preparers like this defendant not only steal tax money out of the pockets of all honest citizens, he uses his clients to file false returns, putting them at risk as well,” commented U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder. “We will work closely with our partners at the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation to protect the honest tax payers in Alaska.”
Arenas faces a maximum sentence of 3 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, 3 years of supervised release, 5 years of probation, and restitution. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
“Tuesday’s guilty plea of Jose Arenas for preparing false tax returns for his Anchorage clients highlights a common trend among unscrupulous return preparers. They exploit their client’s lack of knowledge or understanding of tax matters for personal gain,” said Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell. “Furthermore, he thought that by concealing his paid preparer status he would be shielded from criminal prosecution. He was wrong and he will be held accountable for his actions.”
The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Sayers-Fay.
Anchorage Hells Angel and Wife Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Charles Denver Phillips a/k/a “Pup,” and his wife, Lois Latrilla Phillips, 46, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason for conspiring to distribute and for actually distributing methamphetamine. The couple lived in Anchorage.
As the Phillips admitted in their pleas, in August 2018, they maintained a stash of methamphetamine that they intended to distribute in Alaska. They kept some of their stash in their apartment but maintained the majority in a CONEX located at an Anchorage dog-kenneling business.
On August 7, 2018, Charles and Latrilla sold 401 grams of methamphetamine to a repeat customer. Law enforcement officials observed Latrilla leave the couples’ apartment and drive to the dog kenneling business where she and Charles controlled a CONEX container that contained methamphetamine. Latrilla then returned, indirectly, to her apartment, where she gave methamphetamine to Charles. Charles then sold the 401 grams of methamphetamine to the repeat customer.
On August 10, 2018, law enforcement officials searched the Phillips’ Anchorage, Alaska apartment and their off-site CONEX. The Phillips’ apartment contained 120 grams of methamphetamine, some of which was packaged in baggies containing scenes from the Disney movie “Frozen.” The Phillips also had several digital scales, drug packaging items, and $24,942 of drug trafficking proceeds in their apartment. The apartment contained many décor and clothing items that reflect Charles’ membership in the Hells Angels, an outlaw motorcycle gang. The Phillips’ CONEX contained an additional ten pounds of methamphetamine.
Charles Phillips is a Career Offender. His criminal history includes two prior felony drug trafficking convictions, from 2006 and 2009, respectively. Indeed, Phillips was on supervised release for his prior federal methamphetamine trafficking conviction when he engaged in this methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. Charles also obstructed justice prior to entering his guilty plea. Judge Gleason sentenced Charles to 18 years in federal prison plus 5 years of supervised release.
Judge Gleason found that Latrilla merited a shorter sentence given that she had no prior criminal history, she had demonstrated a strong work ethic over the years, and she had succeeded in and earned accolades for her substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation efforts while on release pending trial. Judge Gleason thus sentenced Latrilla Phillips to 8 years in federal prison and 4 years of supervised release. Both Charles and Latrilla agreed to forfeit $24,942 in drug trafficking proceeds found in their apartment.
The Alaska State Troopers (AST) with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Sayers-Fay.
Sterling, Alaska Drug Dealer Sentenced to 4 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Susan Jan Bradshaw, 55, of Sterling, Alaska, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to 4 years in prison, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for her role in a drug and money laundering conspiracy throughout Southcentral Alaska. Also, Bradshaw agreed to forfeit more than $150,000 in cash. Mark Norman Hanes was a co-conspirator and sentenced to federal prison in July 2019.
“It doesn’t matter whether drug dealers and money launderers are in the cities or rural parts of our state, we will find them and prosecute them. Investigating drug distribution rings requires a team effort, including tracking the money,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder.
According to documents filed in the case, between mid-2014 and January 14, 2015, Bradshaw and Hanes were part of a conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine and heroin throughout Southcentral Alaska. Individuals in Anchorage supplied Bradshaw and Hanes with the drugs, driving to meet them at the home they shared in Sterling on at least two occasions to deliver product. Payment for those drugs would then be made through deposits into bank accounts controlled by the conspiracy.
During a search of Bradshaw and Hanes’ property on January 14, 2015, law enforcement located approximately one pound of methamphetamine and a half-pound of heroin in a safe in their bedroom. Also located in the safe was more than $5,000 in cash, a loaded Glock handgun, and an envelope that contained a U-Haul magnetic security card, and two keys. Written on the outside of the envelope in Bradshaw’s handwriting was “Casey, Emergency Only!” Located in the storage locker was methamphetamine and heroin, as well as $148,000 in cash.
Notebooks found during the search contained entries in Bradshaw’s hand-writing in which she kept track of drug debts. In addition, the notebooks contained diary entries in which she encouraged Hanes to continue selling drugs in order to make enough money for them to retire to Mexico.
Bradshaw and Hanes were not present at their residence at the time of the search, having traveled to Mexico approximately one week prior. Following the search, they stayed in Mexico and remained there until they were arrested on or about September 11, 2017.
Personal use amounts of methamphetamine and heroin are defined in federal regulations as one gram, see 28 C.F.R. § 76.2(h); however, use amounts of heroin can be as little at 1/10 gram. As a result, in the defendants’ possession in January 2015, were more than 400 doses of methamphetamine and more than 2,000 doses of heroin. Throughout the course of the conspiracy in this case, Bradshaw and Hanes likely distributed tens of thousands of doses of drugs throughout Southcentral Alaska.
At sentencing, Judge Gleason noted that Bradshaw’s culpability was significant given that she had no prior criminal history and did not appear to have any substance abuse issues, and was driven by a profit motive to distribute drugs into her community.
“No community is immune from the devastation caused by meth and heroin,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell. “IRS-Criminal Investigation will continue to work with our partners to ensure that those who profit from selling these illegal drugs in our communities are held accountable whether they reside in Anchorage or in Sterling, AK.”
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Reardon.
Contract Officer and Government Contractor Arrested on Bribery and Wire Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Richard Vaughan, 72, and Donald Garner, 47, were arrested yesterday and have been charged in a 31 count indictment with bribery and wire fraud related to Small Business Association (“SBA”) “set-aside” contracts with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”).
Vaughan was a VA contract officer representative (“COR”) and was responsible for awarding and managing numerous contracts awarded by the VA, including certain Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) “set-aside” contracts. Vaughan also had “Purchase Card Program” authorization to spend approximately $600,000 per year on “micro-purchases” for nonstandard supplies and services for the VA.
Garner was the owner and manager of Veteran Ability, LLC, a government contractor that provided various services, such as snow removal and housekeeping, to the U.S. government, including the VA in Anchorage, Alaska.
From June 2015 through January 2017, Garner paid at least $29,235 in bribes to Vaughan in exchange for, among other things, preferential treatment in awarding certain VA contracts and purchase card orders and certifying payments on deficient invoices submitted by Garner for work that was unnecessary or never performed. The scheme resulted in Garner receiving the benefit of payments of approximately $725,226.56 under a VA snow removal contract, $776,272.00 under a VA housekeeping contract, and purchase card payments in the amount of $194,330.40.
If convicted both defendants face a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release for the most serious charges in the indictment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General, Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, and General Services Administration Office of the Inspector General, conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan D. Tansey and Kyle Reardon.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Fairbanks Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Federal Prison on Distribution of “Pure” MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that 33-year-old Christopher Thomas Howard, a/k/a Indy, of Fairbanks, Alaska, has been sentenced on charges of distributing over 74.9 grams of “pure” methamphetamine (“ice”).
Court records state that Howard distributed large quantities of methamphetamine in Fairbanks while on supervised release from an 87-month sentence (later reduced to 70) that the federal court imposed in 2012 for being a felon in possession of a firearm and attempted distribution of large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine. Howard was arrested pursuant to a Criminal Complaint and then indicted on April 25, 2019.
According to the indictment, Howard distributed over 5 grams of ice to one individual on Nov. 15, 2018, and again on Dec. 6, 2018. On Jan. 3, 2019, Howard increased his distribution to over 50 grams of ice to the same individual stating “the meth was pure and not cut” and that he would be getting more soon. Lab reports indicate the quantity from the last buy in January was 55.2 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine.
The government argued that even relatively small amounts of meth can have disastrous impacts on Fairbanks and rural communities due to the smaller population and higher rates of drug abuse and addiction. Five grams of meth in Fairbanks harms a disproportionately larger segment of the population and is further amplified when the meth is pure. In fact, in imposing an 87-month sentence, Senior District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline emphasized that selling pure methamphetamine is nothing to be proud of and recognized Howard’s prior violent criminal history as justifying the sentence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Alaska State Troopers, and the Fairbanks and North Pole Police Departments conducted the investigation leading to the sentence in this case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Tansey.
Serial Sex Offender Sentenced in Alaska and Florida to Serve a Total of 43 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced the sentencing of a Maryland registered sex-offender charged in Alaska federal court for attempted production of child pornography involving a minor victim in Anchorage.
William Patrick King, 37, was indicted in Alaska on July 19, 2017, and arraigned on Nov. 14, 2018. After being charged in Alaska, King was prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida for substantially similar conduct and sentenced to serve 35 years in federal prison. Today, King was sentenced in Alaska to serve 35 years, with 8 years to run consecutive to his Florida sentence followed by lifetime supervised release. To protect the public from King, he will serve a total of 43 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime supervised release.
In May 2017, the 15-year-old victim notified Anchorage Police Department (“APD”) School Resource Officers (“SROs”) of being harassed and extorted by King. Records explain that King targeted the minor victim through the use of social media applications, attempted to extort and threaten the victim to self-produce images and videos depicting child pornography. King went so far as to photoshop images in an attempt to blackmail the victim into self-producing child exploitation images. King also created false online personas to persuade the victim to refrain from reporting his conduct to law enforcement.
The victim exhibited admirable poise under the circumstances and promptly reported King’s threats to her Anchorage Police Department School Resource Officers. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason commended the victim for her courage and maturity. Anchorage Police Department was also praised for their work in the investigation of this case.
U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder stated, "A survivor's report of sexual exploitation to law enforcement is an act of bravery that greatly assists efforts to identify and prosecute dangerous offenders."
The Anchorage Police Department (“APD”) with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (“FBI”) Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.
Anchorage Men Indicted on Gun Violence on School GroundsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Laquinton Tyrone Dashawn Robbins, 27, and John-Rexie Lagman, 22, have been indicted on charges relating to gun violence in Anchorage school zones.
On October 3, 2018, Robbins’s indictment alleges the he possessed and discharged a gun on school grounds. Robbins is alleged to have shot another male in the parking lot of Denali Montessori Elementary School. The altercation began when Robbins dropped off his girlfriend’s daughter at the school and was confronted by the victim. Their argument ended when Robbins allegedly pulled a Sig Sauer .40 caliber handgun from his backpack and shot the victim in the neck. The shooting occurred during school hours, causing the school to go into lockdown.
On July 2, 2019, Lagman’s indictment alleges that he possessed and discharged a gun on school grounds. Lagman is alleged to have shot a 16-year-old male on the grounds of Williwaw Elementary School. Two teenagers involved in a social medial dispute planned to fight at the school, recruiting friends – including Lagman – to join them. The fight became a “melee” when one teen began stabbing others with a screwdriver, including stabbing Lagman. In response Lagman allegedly pulled out a Springfield XD .40-caliber handgun and shot the teen as he was running away.
U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder stated, “These cases show that firearms on school grounds can endanger the children learning and playing there. The United States Attorney’s Office and the Municipal Prosecutor’s Office, as well as local and federal law enforcement agencies, are committed to enforcing the laws that protect children from gun violence at and around schools.” For more information about state and federal gun laws, visit https://dps.alaska.gov/Statewide/R-I/PermitsLicensing/InAlaska or https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/guide/gun-free-school-zone-notice-atf-p-53101/download; or contact your local law enforcement officials.
If convicted, Robbins and Lagman face a statutory maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Anchorage Police Department (APD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. The two separate cases are being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Los Angeles Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Court for Drug and Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Michael Joseph Nicholson, 36, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for his role in a drug and money laundering conspiracy that distributed cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine in Anchorage, Alaska.
According to documents filed, Nicholson along with Wendy Del Carmen Recinos, Jonathan Toliver Jr., and Reon Jordan; were part of a drug and money laundering conspiracy that began sometime in August 2016 and continued through December 2017. Among the conspirators there was an agreement to distribute heroin and cocaine in Alaska. Members of the conspiracy flew back and forth between California and Alaska for the purpose of distributing these illegal controlled substances. An Alaskan residence became a base of operations and is where the conspirators stored heroin, cocaine, and other controlled substances with the intent of distributing them in Anchorage. Investigators seized 1.4 kilos of cocaine, 2 pounds of heroin, 43 grams of benzodiazepine, and 76 grams of oxycodone.
During this same time frame, the conspirators used multiple methods to launder their drug proceeds, including deposits into bank accounts, wire transfers and shipments of bulk currency between Alaska and California. The deposited drug proceeds were used to pay travel expenses of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
Approximately $147,998 in U.S. currency, a Rolex “Sky Dweller” wrist watch, and four firearms were seized by the government as property constituting proceeds of the drug trafficking.
On February 4, 2019, Wendy Del Carmen Recinos was sentenced to six years in prison, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release, for her role in the drug and money laundering conspiracies.
On February 4, 2019, Renee Livingston was sentenced to five years of probation for her role in the money laundering conspiracy.
On March 25, 2019, Jonathan Toliver Jr. was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release, for his role in the drug and money laundering conspiracies.
On March 25, 2019, Reon Jordan was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by a four-year term of supervised release, for her role in the drug and money laundering conspiracies.
On July 9, 2019, Nicole Manglona was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for her role in the money laundering conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder commends all investigative and prosecutorial officials. “This case is a great example of the interagency cooperation we see every day in Alaska. The law enforcement officers and prosecutors in this case worked diligently to take down a significant drug trafficking operation, but also conducted a financial investigation to disrupt the money laundering aspect of the organization and seize the money, jewelry, and firearms illegally obtained by the defendants.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), IRS-Criminal Investigation, Anchorage Police Department Vice Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Anchorage Nurse Practitioner and Soldotna Doctor Arrested on Separate Federal Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Special Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration have arrested an Anchorage nurse practitioner and a Soldotna doctor on separate federal narcotics charges, which allege that they illegally distributed large amounts of opioids and other powerful narcotics by writing prescriptions for “patients” without medical examinations and lacking medical necessity. Federal law enforcement officials executed multiple search warrants in both cases yesterday.
Jessica Joyce Spayd, 48, of Anchorage owns a medical clinic called Eagle River Wellness in Eagle River, Alaska. Spayd is a licensed Advanced Nurse Practitioner specializing in pain management and addiction treatment. Spayd was arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint that charges her with illegally distributing oxycodone, methadone, and hydromorphone.
The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint alleges that between 2014 and 2019, Spayd prescribed over 4 million dosage units of opioid narcotics to just over 450 unique “patients” in Alaska, many of whom traveled hundreds of miles from Fairbanks, Utqiagvik, King Salmon and other remote locations to obtain prescriptions. The complaint alleges that Spayd’s unlawful distribution of opioids resulted in the deaths of two patients. Law enforcement agencies continue to investigate Spayd’s prescribing history.
Dr. Lavern R. Davidhizar, 74, of Soldotna owns and practices at Family Medical Clinic in Soldotna, Alaska. Davidhizar has been licensed as an Osteopathic Physician since 1978 and holds an Alaska Medical License. Davidhizar was arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint that charges him with illegally distributing controlled substances outside the course of professional practice.
The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint alleges that between 2017 and 2019, Davidhizar prescribed over 700,000 narcotic pills. During that time, the leading medications prescribed, but not limited to, were hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, methadone, and tramadol. According to the affidavit, drug abusers on the Kenai Peninsula referred to Davidhizar as the “Candy Man” because it was common knowledge that people could obtain pain medication prescriptions from him even though they did not have a legitimate medical need. Law enforcement agencies continue to investigate Davidhizar’s prescribing history.
In response to the arrests, U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder states, “[t]ogether with our partners in law enforcement, we are committed to prosecuting the illegal distribution of controlled substances, whether the crimes are committed by medical professionals or street dealers. The end result of their activities is the same: the creation of addicts, crime, and sometimes death.”
Additionally, “[t]he Rural Alaska Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAAVEN) represents an ongoing effort to build the capacity of federal, state, and tribal law enforcement in rural Alaska and collaborative public safety and prevention measures with community leaders and local law enforcement officers.”
“While facing a frightening opioid drug epidemic, it is truly sad that these two medical professionals would deliberately contribute to this on-going health crisis,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis. “DEA and its partners will continue to aggressively address illicit drug trafficking throughout the entire State of Alaska under Operation RAAVEN.”
If convicted, Spayd faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years to life in federal prison for the most serious charges alleged in the complaint. If convicted, Davidhizar faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment. The actual sentences imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants. The charges in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If the public has any further information regarding Spayd or Davidhizar,
please contact Anchorage DEA at (907) 271-5033.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and members of the Alaska Health Care Fraud Task Force, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Office of Law Enforcement and Security, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Alaska State Parks Rangers, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department, Soldotna Police Department, Kenai Police Department, Alaska Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the State of Alaska Division of Insurance conducted the investigations leading to the charges in these cases. The Spayd case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan D. Tansey. The Davidhizar case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Corso and Jonas Walker.
The Alaska Health Care Fraud Task Force (AHCFTF) is a partnership of local, state, federal, and private agencies focused on the investigation of health care fraud, waste, and abuse in Alaska or affecting Alaskan interests. For more information: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/anchorage/alaska-health-care-fraud-task-force
James Michael Wells Convicted for Murdering Coast Guard EmployeesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska -- U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that today, after deliberating for 8 hours, a jury of 6 women and 6 men found James Michael Wells guilty of the April 12, 2012, murders of U.S. Coast Guard Electrician’s Mate First Class James Hopkins (“Hopkins”) and retired Chief Boatswain’s Mate Richard Belisle (“Belisle”).
Wells, now 68, was arrested on Feb. 15, 2013, for the 2012 murders of Hopkins and Belisle, federal employees and Wells’ co-workers at the United States Coast Guard (“USCG”) antenna maintenance facility, located at the USCG Communication Station (“COMMSTA”) on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Wells was convicted in 2014 and the case was reversed on appeal by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in December 2017.
Evidence at trial established that on April 12, 2012, between 7:09 and 7:14 a.m., Hopkins and Belisle were shot and killed with a .44 revolver, which was never found, while working at their duty stations in the Rigger Shop at COMMSTA. First responders noted no evidence of a break-in or robbery and both men appeared to be victims of a targeted killing. Wells was due to arrive at the Rigger Shop the same time respectively as Hopkins and Belisle, but instead left two phone messages for Hopkins and Belisle, noted to be after the victims’ time of death, stating Wells was running late due to a flat tire. Wells ended up arriving to the Rigger Shop well over an hour after his normal start time, immediately claiming to have had a flat tire.
USCG security videos captured Wells passing the Main Gate at Base Kodiak at 6:48 a.m. in his white Dodge truck on his way toward the Kodiak Airport, and returning back toward his residence at 7:22 a.m. However, a small blue SUV, owned by Wells, was captured on USCG security videos passing the Rigger Shop front entrance. The evidence showed Wells drove his white Dodge pickup truck to the airport, where he swapped vehicles and drove Nancy Wells’ blue Honda CR-V to COMMSTA to commit the murders. There was a 34-minute period of time for which James Wells could not account and that unexplained discrepancy captured the attention of the interviewing agents. Additionally, a tire with a nail in it was seized and through extensive testing, the examiner concluded that the nail had been manually inserted into the tire, undermining the foundation of Wells’ alibi that he had picked up a nail while driving to work on the morning of the murders.
At trial, Wells testified that he had a low tire, stopped and went to the bathroom at Servant Air and then went home. He further testified that he removed the nail and replaced it with a larger nail which was the one discovered by investigators.
On October 8, 2019, Wells was convicted on all six counts of the indictment: two counts of murder in the first degree, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1111, one for each victim; two counts of murder of an officer or employee of the United States, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1114, one for each victim; and two counts of possession and use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).
Sentencing will be scheduled by the court in the coming days. The law provides for a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Wells will remain in custody pending sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder notes that the conviction comes after an extensive investigation led by the FBI, with support from the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Alaska State Troopers.
Deputy Criminal Chief Steven Skrocki prosecuted the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Sherman, and Commander Kelly Stevens, U.S. Coast Guard, who was appointed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Anchorage Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Mr. Shannon Robert Bell, 53, has been indicted on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography. Bell was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith, and is a resident of Anchorage, Alaska, where he was employed as a clinical therapist at multiple inpatient treatment facilities for children.
The indictment alleges that on Sept. 29, 2018, Bell knowingly distributed child pornography involving prepubescent minors, or minors who have not attained 12 years of age, by any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce. Additionally, allegations state that on July 1, 2019, Bell knowingly possessed and accessed child pornography with intent to view material that contained images of child pornography, including images involving prepubescent minors.
If the public has any further information regarding Bell,
please contact Anchorage FBI at (907) 276-4441.
If convicted, Bell faces a statutory minimum of five years in prison and guideline sentence of the statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In May 2006, DOJ launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder Participated in Anchorage Hate Crimes Forum Hosted by Z.J. Loussac LibraryRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder and Mayor Ethan Berkowitz were opening speakers at the Anchorage Hate Crimes Forum hosted by Z.J. Loussac Library on Saturday, Sept. 21. Attorney Schroder also participated as member of the Law Enforcement panel.
Members of the Law Enforcement panel addressed how to report a crime, what to expect in a criminal investigation, and how to determine whether a hate crime occurred. The panelists reminded community members that law enforcement actions depend upon the community timely reporting crimes.
Members of the Community panel provided an outlook on victims of bias and hate crimes, including the reluctance that many victims have to report crimes. The panelists also addressed concerns of bias against marginalized groups and violence against women in Anchorage and throughout the state.
Members of the Resource panel discussed resources that are available to victims or witnesses to crimes. The panelists highlighted available advocacy and enforcement groups, and encouraged affected individuals to not be afraid to seek help.
The event’s empowering keynote address came from Judy and Dennis Shepard of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, presenting their mission “to erase hate by replacing it with understanding, compassion, and acceptance.”
Attorney Schroder provided an encouraging recap, stating “Anchorage is a diverse city and we must recognize the complexities associated with diversity. This public discussion assembled individuals, agencies, and organizations with a common goal: fight hatred. We must fight hatred by having a strong community that will not tolerate prejudice. Through continuous outreach, awareness, and education, we can build a stronger community to support our common goal.”
For more information about Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: a one-stop portal with links to Department of Justice hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.
Law enforcement members joining U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder at this event included officials from the Anchorage Police Department, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage District Attorney Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Help make a difference by reporting crimes to your local law enforcement officials.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Roundtables on Sexual Harassment and Racial Discrimination in HousingRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska -- U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that on Wednesday, Sept. 18 and Thursday, Sept. 19, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division hosted roundtable discussions on combating sexual harassment and racial discrimination in housing in Fairbanks and Anchorage.
The events included state, tribal, and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and crisis and legal service providers that often work with Alaska’s most vulnerable populations, who could also become victims of sexual harassment or racial discrimination in housing.
“These roundtables compliment the mission of the Attorney General’s Rural Alaska Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAAVEN). Many women facing violence and abuse in rural Alaska come to Anchorage or Fairbanks looking for a fresh start and new opportunities. These roundtables will help ensure that women and other vulnerable populations from all over Alaska are treated respectfully and fairly as they seek housing,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder.
The Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Civil Rights Division, enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability.
Because victims may not be aware that the conduct they have experienced violates the Fair Housing Act or may not know where to turn, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice hope to collaborate with community organizations to raise awareness and help victims report abuse.
The Justice Department brings cases each year involving egregious conduct, including allegations that defendants have requested sexual favors in exchange for reduced rents or making necessary repairs, made unrelenting and unwanted sexual advances to tenants, and evicted tenants who resisted their sexual overtures. In 2017, the Justice Department recovered more than $1 million in damages for victims. The Justice Department’s investigations frequently uncover sexual harassment or racial discrimination that has been ongoing for years or decades and identify numerous victims who never reported the conduct to federal authorities. Many instances of sexual harassment or racial discrimination in housing continue to go unreported.
The roundtables were coordinated by Lauren Marks of the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section of the Civil Rights Division of Department of Justice.
The Department encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment or discrimination in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact the Civil Rights Division by calling (844) 380-6178 or emailing: [email protected].
U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder Announces Efforts Made to Address Public Safety Crisis in Rural AlaskaRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced an update on efforts made by law enforcement agencies to address the public safety crisis in rural Alaska. In May 2019, Attorney General William P. Barr came to Alaska to personally examine the public safety situation in the vast rural areas of the state. Based on that visit, Attorney General Barr declared a law enforcement emergency in rural Alaska under the Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance (EFLEA) program, making $6 million immediately available to the State of Alaska for critical law enforcement needs. Recognizing that Alaska has the highest per capita crime rate in the country, and the unique circumstances of Alaska’s geographical and jurisdictional landscape, the Attorney General authorized additional funding, and several long-term measures to support village public safety and victim services. A summary of the grant awards and ongoing agency efforts are below.
Formation of the RAAVEN Working Group
In his announcement of emergency funding for public safety in rural Alaska, Attorney General Barr tasked the U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska to form a rural Alaska violent crime reduction working group. Within days, U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder formed the group, now called the Rural Alaska Anti-Violence Enforcement (RAAVEN) Working Group. Initially, the group helped coordinate the law enforcement and prosecution resources provided by Attorney General Barr, including the $6 million EFLEA grant, and almost $5 million in Tribal Resource Grant Funds, both discussed below. In addition to members from the federal, state, and local law enforcement community, RAAVEN will also form a consultation group with Alaska Native leaders, working on medium and long-term planning to address violent crime issues in rural Alaska.
EFLEA Grant Award to the Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Based on the Attorney General’s declaration of a law enforcement emergency in rural Alaska, the State of Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS) applied for, and was awarded, $6 million from DOJ’s EFLEA Program. DPS proposed to use this funding to address the high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other violent crimes in the state by subgranting funds to Alaska Native organizations and villages to address critical public safety infrastructure needs in rural Alaska to support law enforcement services within communities.
DPS is actively developing the sub-grant solicitation for communities and tribal entities to apply for a portion of the $6 million made available through the EFLEA Program. The funding is expected to be available starting Oct. 1, 2019, for qualifying infrastructure projects, such as holding cells. Quality infrastructure for public safety purposes will help ease recruitment and retention issues in rural Alaskan communities.
With the notable call for more public safety options in rural Alaska, the Alaska Police Standards Counsel has increased its outreach to communities to help screen Village Police Officer (VPO) applicants. Additionally, training opportunities for VPOs and Tribal Police Officers (TPOs), through Yuut Elitnaurviat (YE) Corporation, commonly known as Yuut, has increased. An extra academy was added to the training schedule for October 2019. Providing training in rural Alaska makes it less burdensome for recruits and existing VPOs to attend. Yuut provides training and education opportunities for the people of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Region.
COPS Grant Award
On July 30, 2019, Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) awarded nearly $5 million through the Tribal Resources Grant Program for the hiring, equipping, and training of VPOs and TPOs working in rural Alaska. The awards are as follows:
Tribal Agency
Funding for Equipment
Funding for Hiring
Positions Funded
Akiachak Native Community
$58,074
$241,429
3
Central Council Tlingit and Haida
$204,721
$0
0
Chickaloon Native Village
$4,378
$286,831
1
Holy Cross Tribe
$113,999
$185,457
1
Kasigluk Elders Council
$42,212
$255,077
1
Kodiak Area Native Association
$177,566
$0
0
Maniilaq Association
$253,562
$0
0
Native Village of Kipnuk
$41,199
$109,137
1
Native Village of Kwinhagak
$59,443
$108,211
1
Native Village of Mekoryuk
$7,260
$169,823
2
Native Village of Napaskiak
$31,829
$249,106
2
Native Village of Nulato
$58,837
$223,445
1
Native Village of Ruby
$79,681
$197,539
1
Native Village of Scammon Bay
$38,628
$249,216
2
Native Village of Tanacross
$75,074
$185,538
1
Native Village of Tununak
$73,017
$129,853
1
Northway Village
$70,819
$180,314
1
Sitka Tribe of Alaska
$300,000
$0
0
Venetie Village Council
$38,302
$249,944
1
Yakutat Tlingit Tribe
$241,681
$0
0
U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska
On July 24-25, 2019, representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in live trainings in Anchorage and Bethel, hosted by DOJ’s Office of Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Victims of Crime (OVC), COPS, and Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ), on providing guidance to potential applications and tribal associations on how to access the OCV tribal set-aside grants for victim services. During the week of Aug. 18, 2019, U.S. Attorney Schroder joined community members, along with officials from the White House and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) at the Reclaiming our Native Communities Roundtable in Nome, Alaska. Members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office also attended a Public Safety Listening Session in Bethel, Alaska the same week to discuss ways to address public safety challenges in the region.
Part of the resources authorized by Attorney General Barr included three new federal prosecutor positions focused on rural Alaska. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has selected one new attorney and is currently reviewing resumes for two additional prosecutors who will have an emphasis on criminal cases in rural Alaska.
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
In the last 30 days, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), and the Tanana Chief’s Conference, visited villages in the interior and the north coastal Alaska regions, discussing collaborative public safety and prevention measures with community leaders and local law enforcement officers. DEA also held community outreach visits with the students of each village, highlighting gun safety and the DEA Red Ribbon program, the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program.
Also, DEA Diversion Investigators visited with community leaders, pharmacists and medical professionals throughout the North Slope. Productive conversations regarding the on-going opioid epidemic, record keeping and federal regulations were discussed. Efforts are on-going and visits will continue throughout Alaska.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF)
Since Aug. 19, 2019, ATF, in partnership with DEA, AST, and the Tanana Chiefs Conference, traveled to villages in the interior and the north coastal Alaska regions, discussing collaborative public safety and prevention measures with the community leaders and local law enforcement officers. During this time, ATF participated in community outreach visits with students of each village highlighting the importance of firearms safety. Additionally, ATF informed community leaders of existing federal firearm statutes that can be applied to address violent offenders within their communities and also provided information on resources available to victims of domestic violence.
ATF efforts will continue throughout rural Alaska and will include training sessions for state and local law enforcement officers that will focus on firearms enforcement training to improve state and local law enforcement response to firearms related crimes, and identification of offenders suitable for prosecution.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)
Starting on Aug. 18, 2019, the USPIS, DEA, HSI, and ATF, have been conducting drug enforcement operations looking for controlled substances destined to rural Alaska. These operations resulted in the seizure of approximately 30,000 controlled pills along with other suspected controlled substances.
U.S. Marshals Service (USMS)
The U.S. Marshals continue to work in partnership with AST in rural Alaska. Rob Heun, U.S. Marshal for Alaska, is currently hosting the U.S. Marshals Service Director Donald Washington to address the role the Marshals will play in Attorney General Barr’s initiative. As part of this assessment, on Sept. 10, 2019, the USMS spent the day in Bethel and Tuntutuliak. During this time, the USMS coordinated equipment needs for AST, met with the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP), met with village leaders in Tuntutuliak, and coordinated with Yuut and the lower Kuskokwim School District regarding kid’s camps.
This announcement was made as part of the Rural Alaska Anti-Violence Enforcement (RAAVEN) Working Group’s ongoing efforts to build the capacity of federal, state, and tribal law enforcement in rural Alaska. The RAAVEN Working Group, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, encourages extensive collaboration among law enforcement at all levels, rural communities, Alaska Native groups, victim service organizations, and care providers. Current law enforcement members of the working group include the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), State of Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS), State of Alaska Department of Law (DOL), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), FBI, DEA, ATF, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), and the Anchorage Police Department (APD).
Five-Time Felon Found Guilty for Illegal Possession of Firearm in Connection with December 2016 GunfightRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Antoni Peralta, 33, of Anchorage, was found guilty on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, after a three-day federal jury trial. The jury found Peralta guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and associated ammunition in connection with the December 2016 gunfight on Donna Road in Anchorage.
According to evidence presented at trial, on the evening of Dec. 16, 2016, Peralta had a confrontation with a man in an Anchorage bar. Peralta then got into his vehicle and left the bar, turning onto Donna Road, out of suspicion that the man had followed him. He saw a black SUV and a white SUV, and gunshots rang out down the residential street. Peralta reached for his Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol and Federal .40 caliber ammunition and shot at the SUVs. Peralta, injured by gunfire, crawled from his vehicle to the steps of a nearby home while the SUVs left the area.
Law enforcement officers arrived to investigate the shooting and approached Peralta who was still at the steps of a nearby home. He required medical treatment and was hospitalized. During a search of Peralta’s bullet-riddled vehicle, police found a pistol with a live round and a magazine with additional ammunition.
Peralta has five prior convictions within the state of Alaska for crimes including robbery, vehicle theft, felon in possession of a firearm, and failure to stop at the direction of a police officer. As someone previously convicted of a felony offense, Peralta was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
As part of his 2005 robbery conviction, Peralta was involved in a Dimond Center mall shooting that led to the death of another individual. Specifically, in efforts to avoid police contact after the shooting, Peralta hid out in a home in Wasilla for days. After law enforcement officers found the hideout, Peralta and eight other people fled the home and packed into an SUV. Law enforcement officers persuaded the driver to stop the vehicle. As the driver opened the driver’s side door, Peralta pushed the driver out of the car and jumped into the driver’s seat. Peralta led law enforcement on a 90-mile-per-hour chase for 21 miles. After law enforcement officers deployed spike strips, Peralta drove the SUV until the tires shredded from the rims and finally stopped. Alaska State Troopers found Peralta in the driver’s seat and six additional passengers inside, including one infant.
As a result of Peralta’s most recent federal conviction, he faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Anchorage Police Department (APD), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Alaska Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory, leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Vandergaw and Allison O’Leary.
Fairbanks Woman Indicted on Federal Bank Fraud and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Natascha Sabrina Clark, 35, of Fairbanks, has been named in an 11-count federal indictment charging her with fraudulent transactions with an access device, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Clark was arrested on Aug. 26, 2019, and has since been ordered detained pending trial.
According to the indictment, on May 25, 2017, Clark is alleged to have made several fraudulent transactions using a stolen credit card, including a $2,439.90 purchase to Evolve Skateboards. From November 2018 to January 2019, using a stolen business credit card, Clark allegedly made an additional 61 fraudulent purchases totaling $4,854.14.
The indictment further alleges that, in November 2018, Clark knowingly stole checks for an Alaska USA Federal Credit Union account from an individual’s mailbox and created or obtained a counterfeit identification document bearing that individual’s name, address, and driver’s license number, but with Clark’s photograph. It is alleged that Clark then began executing fraudulent transactions using the individual’s stolen checks at numerous businesses for her personal benefit. Specifically, over the course of three days in November 2018, Clark obtained money from Alaska USA Federal Credit Union by causing the transfer of funds to numerous businesses, including Ulta Salon, Barnes & Noble, and Fred Meyer.
If convicted, Clark faces a maximum of up to 30 years in federal prison for the most serious charges alleged in the indictment. In addition, Clark faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison on each aggravated identity theft charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), the Fairbanks Police Department (FPD), and the North Pole Police Department (NPPD) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan D. Tansey.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Skagway Man Sentenced for the Illegal Export and Import of Walrus IvoryRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Skagway man has been sentenced for illegally exporting a raw ivory tusk, using falsified forms to have it admitted to Indonesia, and thereafter illegally importing the carved tusk, for sale, back into the United States.
James Terrance Williams, 67, of Skagway, d.b.a. Inside Passage Arts, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to serve two years of probation and to pay a $5000 fine. Williams pleaded guilty to one felony count of Lacey Act false labeling and one felony count of smuggling goods into the United States.
According to court documents, in October 2014 and March 2016, Williams illegally exported raw, unworked, walrus ivory tusks from Alaska to Bali, Indonesia for carving. He would then smuggle the carved walrus ivory back into the United States, disguising the illegal nature of the transportation by falsification of records, all in furtherance of illegal sales of the ivory.
This scheme involved numerous Lacey Act violations. Specifically, in the years 2014, 2015, and 2016, Williams would then sell the carved walrus ivory as merchandise, knowing that it had been unlawfully transported into the United States from a foreign county. The investigation revealed that Williams knowingly made or submitted false records and accounts for the importation, transportation, and sale of carved walrus ivory tusks. Williams regularly visited Bali, Indonesia to have specific Indonesian carvers work on provided wildlife raw materials that he would then import as carvings into the United States for merchandise sale. The carvings were not traditional-style Alaska Native carvings, but were instead crafted in a “Balinese” style
Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), walrus ivory cannot be exported out of the United States, nor imported into the United States, without a permit. Furthermore, the Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits the sale of non-Alaska Native handicrafted walrus ivory.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Steven E. Skrocki.
Wasilla Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Scheme to Defraud Alaska ConsumersRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Wasilla man has been sentenced to prison on federal wire fraud charges which arose from a scheme that defrauded Alaska consumers.
Dmitry Kudryn, 34, of Wasilla, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to serve one year in federal prison, a $100,000 fine, and the maximum three years of supervised release following his release from custody.
In July 2014, Kudryn participated in a scheme based on his importation of furniture manufactured in China and then falsely advertising the furniture for sale as having been manufactured in Italy. Specifically, Kudryn purchased hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of wholesale furniture from a manufacturer in China and then re-sold the furniture as “Italian leather furniture” to retail purchasers in Alaska at a significant markup using the Craigslist.com internet marketplace. He fraudulently sold hundreds of these sofa sets to individuals in Alaska, including an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigator.
The investigation revealed that the Craigslist advertisements falsely represented that each unit was worth $4800 “shipped from the lower 48.” Kudryn would then arrange for the retail sale of the furniture to individuals in Alaska for approximately $2400 per unit, when in reality he purchased them for less than half that amount.
In pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in relation to the sofa scheme, Kudryn also admitted his involvement in another long running scheme to obtain refurbished and or promotional Apple products, which were then repackaged in Alaska in counterfeit packing and sold as new to overseas purchasers using the Amazon and eBay marketplaces. Kudryn forfeited $586,748.22 in illicit proceeds from that scheme.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Gleason noted that Kudryn had a history of fraudulent conduct in connection with his business activities in imposing sentence.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) conducted the investigation leading to successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.
Associate of Violent White Supremacist Gang Pleads Guilty to Federal Kidnapping ChargeRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Beau Cook, 32, an associate of a white supremacist gang known as the 1488s, has pleaded guilty to a federal kidnapping charge arising from the August 2017 beating, kidnapping, and murder of Michael Staton, aka “Steak Knife.”
In March 2019, Cook, along with other 1488s members and associates including Filthy Fuhrer, (formerly Timothy Lobdell), Roy Naughton, Glen Baldwin, Craig King, and Colter O’Dell, was charged with murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit assault and kidnapping in aid of racketeering. Two other key members, Nicholas M. Kozorra and Dustin J. Clowers, previously pleaded guilty to murder in aid of racketeering.
According to the plea agreement, on Aug. 3, 2017, Cook was instructed to prepare a room inside a Wasilla duplex where Staton, a known member of the 1488s, would be assaulted. Cook prepared one of the bedrooms by lining it with plastic on the floor and partway up the walls to conceal evidence of the beating that was expected to occur. Staton was brought to the duplex, already beaten and his hands bound, and was brought into the prepared room where he was further beaten by several 1488s members and associates. A large knife was then heated up using a blowtorch, which was used to burn off Staton’s 1488 membership tattoo. Cook was present in the room and witnessed the beating and patch burning of Staton. After the beating and depatching, Staton was still alive and was rolled up in the plastic and the carpet from the bedroom. Cook helped load Staton into the back of vehicle, in which Staton was driven away. Cook later cleaned up the area where Staton had been beaten and was given a shot of heroin as compensation for his role.
Cook faces a maximum sentence of up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both, on the kidnapping charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The FBI and AST Alaska Bureau of Investigation Special Crimes Investigation Unit and Technical Crimes Unit, the Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) Mat-Su Drug Unit, AST ‘B’ Detachment Major Crimes Unit and Criminal Suppression Unit, and AST’s participation in the Task Force Officer program led the investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Taylor and James Klugman of the District of Alaska and Trial Attorney Chad McHenry of Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS).
U.S. Attorney’s Office to Take Part in 36th Annual National Night OutRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – the U.S. Attorney’s Office will join law enforcement, community leaders and residents on TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2019, at the Mountain View Boys & Girls Club from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM to celebrate the 36th annual National Night Out crime and drug prevention event.
This free community event is put on by the Mountain View Boys & Girls Club (315 Price Street, Anchorage, AK 99508) in partnership with the Anchorage Police Department. The Anchorage community will be welcomed for a night of free food, games, prizes, a petting zoo, music entertainment, and much more.
National Night Out is a community-building and crime prevention campaign that promotes collaborative law enforcement-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Thousands of communities nationwide will participate in neighborhood block parties, festivals, cookouts, safety demonstrations, seminars, and activities that heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and generate support for and participation in local anticrime efforts. Events such as these help to strengthen neighborhood spirit, police-community partnerships, and demonstrate a shared commitment for strong and safe communities.
“For 36 years, National Night Out has rallied neighborhood residents, law enforcement and community leaders in the common goal of strengthening relationships to help prevent and deter crime in our local community. I am proud to stand with my colleagues and my neighbors to support safer streets and work together to drive out crime,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder.
Last year, over 1,500 people showed up in the rain at Anchorage’s National Night Out event. National Night Out organizers are expecting over 16,000 communities and 38 million people nationwide to take part in community events on Tuesday.
For more information on National Night Out events, please visit https://natw.org/.
Five-Time Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Christopher Kofi Noble, 41, of Anchorage, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. Noble was linked to five separate shootings in Anchorage during a three-month period of time. 10 years in prison is the maximum sentence for this crime.
According to court documents, Noble was originally charged with five counts of felon in possession of ammunition, representing five separate events where different types of .45 caliber ammunition were used from the same firearm. The Anchorage Police Department (APD) used the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) in order to link the shell casings from the five shootings to the same firearm. The NIBIN system is a database that catalogues shell casings found at crime scenes and makes comparisons to other shell casings at other crime scenes. It allows the Anchorage Police to compare shell casings and determine if the same firearm was used on different occasions during different shootings.
The shootings where Noble possessed the firearm were an April 3, 2018, shooting where he shot at a female that owed him money; an April 18, 2018, shooting where he shot at an apartment building; a May 30, 2018, shooting where he shot at a man he had a verbal argument with; and a June 14, 2018, shooting where he handed a firearm to another man who shot and killed an individual. After a May 18, 2018, report of gunshots near the Sullivan Arena, APD found .45 caliber shell casings on a trail behind the Arena that matched the .45 caliber shell casings from the other four shootings. This type of ammunition or shell casings were found at each scene that all traced back to being shot from the same firearm.
Noble has five prior felony convictions out of Illinois, Indiana, and Alaska for crimes including assault, eluding law enforcement, and possession of cocaine. As someone convicted of a felony offense, Noble was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
“This case highlights the use of an important new technology – NIBIN,” said U.S. Attorney Schroder. “The U.S Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners, in this case ATF and APD, will use every tool at our disposal to bring dangerous armed criminals to justice.”
“NIBIN has proven to be an invaluable tool in the fight against crime,” said Anchorage Police Captain Josh Nolder, Commander of the Detective Division. “Thanks to NIBIN, we can now link seemingly random cases to one firearm and bring the individual behind that firearm to justice.”
“ATF is committed to working with our partners across the state to protect Alaskans from violent offenders like Mr. Noble, whose contempt for law and order led to his continued criminal use of firearms, placing the community at risk,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants. “Sentences like this one serve as a deterrent to others while removing a repeat violent offender from our streets.”
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Burgess noted that Noble has 28 prior criminal convictions, and had over 29 other arrests. Judge Burgess was concerned about protecting the public from the defendant due to his history of violent and assaultive behavior and the serious nature of the defendant’s conduct.
The Anchorage Police Department (APD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crime involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.