District of Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that an Anchorage man has been sentenced to federal prison after he made arrangements with an undercover detective to meet with two fictional minors, whom he believed to be real, to engage in sexual activities.

Danny Ray Lowe, 50, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline, to serve 16 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime years of supervised release.  After a three-day trial in July 2018, a federal jury convicted Lowe of two counts of attempted sexual trafficking of a minor, and two counts of attempted enticement of a minor. 

According to court documents, Lowe promptly responded to an online advertisement placed by a detective working an undercover operation.  Over an approximate six-month period, Lowe corresponded with the detective using text messages to negotiate the time, place, and price to have sex with two fictional girls, aged 13 and 14.  On Sept. 12, 2017, Lowe arrived at the agreed-upon Anchorage motel, ready and willing to pay $150 for two hours of illegal sex with the two minors.  The investigation revealed that Lowe had also brought condoms and strawberry-flavored personal lubricant to the motel. 

When Lowe knocked on the motel room door, however, local and federal law enforcement officers arrested him.  Upon arrest, Lowe confessed his crimes to the detective and wrote an apology letter to the girls’ parents, as he did not yet know that the girls were fictional.  Lowe wrote that he was “very sorry for offering money to have sex with your” daughter. 

At the sentencing hearing, Judge Beistline explained that the purpose of the sentence imposed was to protect the community and deter others from paying to have sex with children.  At trial, Lowe testified that he was attempting to rescue the children, rather than trying to buy sex with them.  At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court found that Lowe had lied and knew, “deep down,” that he was guilty. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the joint investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas M. Walker.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Adam Scott Pike, 43, formerly of Rochester, Minnesota, was sentenced on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, to serve 22.5 years in prison, to be followed by a life term of supervised release, for traveling to Alaska with the intent to have sex with a minor, and distribution of child pornography.

According court documents, in early 2017, Pike communicated through a social media application with an individual in Alaska.  During those communications, the Alaska man sent sexually explicit images of a minor, and discussed with Pike the possibility of Pike traveling to Alaska in order to have sex with the minor.

On or about March 2, 2017, the FBI arrested the Alaska man and assumed control of his account.  Conversations between Pike and an undercover FBI Special Agent about Pike’s trip to Alaska continued.  During these communications, Pike sent to the undercover FBI Special Agent two videos of child pornography.  Pike also sent images of himself masturbating that he requested be shown to the minor with who he was going to have sex.  Pike traveled from Minnesota on April 3, 2017.  When Pike arrived in Alaska, he contacted the FBI undercover Special Agent and told the Special Agent to come to a local motel with the minor.  The FBI arrested Pike at the motel.

At sentencing, Judge Gleason noted the harm that Pike’s conduct had on the victims, including the minor with whom he intended to have sex, as well as the victims in the child pornography images he distributed. Judge Gleason stated that the sentence was intended to deter others who might contemplate similar conduct.  “A sentence of this nature,” said Judge Gleason, “is a long and lengthy sentence that can hopefully deter others.”

Judge Gleason also ordered over $45,000 in restitution to be paid by Pike to the victims in this case.  That money is to be used to pay for ongoing and future counseling needs for the victims.  The Court also ordered that Pike reimburse the Violent Crimes Compensation Board for expenses incurred in assisting the victims of this case.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Anchorage Police Department, Crimes Against Children Unit (CACU).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Reardon prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Juneau man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy to transport heroin and methamphetamine from the lower 48 to Alaska for distribution.

Bryan O’Neil Yambao Arce, 40, of Juneau, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve 54 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  In December 2018, Arce pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy.  

Arce became the subject of an investigation in June 2015, when the Juneau Drug Enforcement Unit (JDEU) began receiving tips that Arce was importing drugs into Juneau.  The investigation revealed that, in order to elude law enforcement, Arce utilized a false identification while travelling to Juneau on commercial aircraft, and carried heroin and methamphetamine on his person for subsequent distribution in Juneau.  Arce also collected drug proceeds from co-conspirators while in Juneau to pay for drugs previously supplied during the course of the conspiracy.  After collecting the drug proceeds, Arce shipped the proceeds to himself using air cargo services.  In total, Arce sent 32 packages in this manner. 

During the course of the conspiracy, Arce’s fraudulent ID and $3,946 was found in a local store, which was related to a prior delivery of 50 grams of methamphetamine.  Further, in December 2015, Arce shipped a package containing at least two ounces of methamphetamine from California to a co-conspirator’s residence in Juneau.  Co-conspirators utilized money remittance services, air cargo, and other shipping services to send drug proceeds for payment of methamphetamine and heroin sent by Arce.  In April 2017, Arce travelled to Juneau from the lower 48, and was contacted by law enforcement.  A search of Arce’s luggage revealed 202 grams of methamphetamine intended for subsequent distribution in Juneau.  

According to court documents, Arce’s social media page had hundreds of pages of communications with individuals related to drug trafficking and distribution.  Arce advised co-conspirators on how to distribute narcotics and how to collect drug proceeds, and even joked about overdoses in the community and wondered aloud if he might be responsible.  During the course of this investigation, Arce is responsible for approximately four ounces of a mixture and substance and 202 grams of actual methamphetamine.   

The Juneau Police Department (JPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack S. Schmidt.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Gregory Michael Christensen, 45, of Haines, Alaska, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. 

According to court documents, on Oct. 29, 2017, police officers responded to a report that a man, later identified as Christensen, was assaulting a woman at a local gas station.  Law enforcement stopped Christensen’s vehicle as it was leaving the gas station, and a pat search revealed a loaded magazine in his pant pocket, and he also reported a loaded rifle in his vehicle.  Christensen claimed his girlfriend, a passenger in the vehicle, owned the firearms.  A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed three firearms, including a loaded and chambered AR-15 rifle, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a Springfield 9mm pistol.  The search also revealed drug paraphernalia, two baggies containing 16.55 grams of methamphetamine, over 50 grams of Psilocybin mushrooms, and $584.82. 

Christiansen was taken into custody for the assault, and a records check revealed that he has two felony convictions – one with the State of Washington for possession of stolen property, and another with the State of Alaska for misconduct.  A search of Christensen’s residence revealed four additional rifles, assorted ammunition, a 19 round handgun magazine, a black PVC and a white suppressor.  

The Haines Borough Police Department (HPD), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigations leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Brent Ernst Hansen, 42, of Indio, California, was sentenced in Juneau by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve 34 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. 

According to court documents, on Oct. 16, 2017, Hansen was trying to clear airport security at Juneau International Airport, with a backpack that contained a loaded Glock 19, 9mm pistol.  TSA recognized a suspicious object as Hansen placed his bag through the X-Ray machine.  When confronted by law enforcement, Hansen claimed he forgot about the firearm, and when asked about his legal status to possess a firearm, Hansen indicated that he did not know.  A check of the firearm’s serial number revealed that the firearm was reported stolen. 

Hansen was subsequently taken into custody, and a records check revealed that he has multiple felony convictions with the State of California for crimes including burglary, possession of a controlled substance, attempted grand theft, and felon in possession of a firearm. 

The Juneau Police Department (JPD) 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 Jack Schmidt.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Kyle Steven Moody, 32, of Fairbanks, has been charged in federal court with one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  

The federal indictment alleges that, on Dec. 6, 2018, Moody knowingly possessed a .22 caliber Ruger Mark IV handgun, despite having a previous domestic violence conviction in the State of Alaska.  According to state court documents, law enforcement received a report of an assault and that Moody was in violation of his conditions of release, where the court had ordered that he have no contact with the victim.

Moody has a history of domestic violence offenses in the State of Alaska involving the same victim, and currently has pending state charges against him in connection with the events leading to the federal charges.  As someone previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, Moody was prohibited from possessing a firearm.  

If convicted, Moody faces a maximum of up to 10 years in 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 Alaska State Troopers (AST) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Tansey.

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, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Shaun Pete Snyder, 34, of Kotzebue, has been indicted in federal court for drug trafficking charges.  The indictment charges Snyder with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and illegal use of a communication facility.

According to the indictment, between August 2005 and February 2018, Snyder was employed by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) at the United States Post Office in Kotzebue, and in November 2014, he had assumed the role of Postmaster.  The indictment alleges that, beginning in October 2016 and continuing to February 2018, Snyder knowingly conspired with others to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana, by agreeing to facilitate the delivery of parcels containing marijuana through the Kotzebue Post Office. 

As part of the conspiracy, Snyder was to be provided tracking numbers via text messages, of parcels that contained marijuana.  Snyder would then track the packages until their arrival at the Kotzebue Post Office, retrieve them, scan them as delivered, and allow the recipients to pick up the packages from the rear freight door – both during and outside normal business hours.  It is further alleged that Snyder began accepting cash payments from individuals to process parcels through the Kotzebue Post Office that he knew contained marijuana, and began providing information to individuals on how to mail packages to avoid detection from United States Postal Inspectors. 

If convicted, Snyder faces a maximum of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the most serious charges alleged 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 U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), and the AST Technical Crimes Unit conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charisse Arce.

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, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Eric Whitebread, 43, resident of North Pole, Alaska, was sentenced on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline, to 15 years in prison, to be followed by a 35-year term of supervised release, for distribution and receipt of child pornography.

According to evidence presented at trial, on two different days in June 2015, Whitebread distributed files of child pornography through an online file-sharing network.  Upon execution of a search warrant at Whitebread’s North Pole residence, law enforcement located his computer.  Located on the computer were 618 images of child pornography that had been downloaded through the file-sharing network between July 14, 2015, and August 24, 2015.  Contextual evidence discovered by law enforcement during a forensic examination of Whitebread’s computer – including data recovered from millions of lines of computer code – located numerous indicators that child pornography was being downloaded and viewed on the computer at times when Whitebread’s text messages showed him to be home and online.  In addition, the computer did not show any activity at times the evidence showed Whitebread was away from the house.

Whitebread, his wife, and two other witnesses testified in the defense case.  Each stated that multiple people came and went from Whitebread’s property and had access to the computer, and that the password was posted on a Post-It note left on the device.  This testimony was inconsistent with the fact that the computer was seized from Whitebread’s private residence without any Post-It notes.   Whitebread and his wife also stated that the account through all of the child pornography activity occurred was a locked account to which they did not have access, and that they only accessed the computer for work purposes, and only through a separate account that had been created in June 2015.  In rebuttal, law enforcement demonstrated that this testimony was false, as the separate account was actually created in November 2013.

As part of sentencing, the United States introduced evidence that the defendant had previously been accused of inappropriately touching a minor child, and of having been engaged in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old when he was in this 20’s.

At sentencing, Judge Beistline described the evidence against Whitebread as “overwhelming.”  Judge Beistline noted that Whitebread had attempted to obstruct justice with his false trial testimony, was in “complete denial” about what he had done, and that he “had shown absolutely no remorse” for his conduct.  Judge Beistline went on to add that by downloading and distributing child pornography the defendant had “victimized helpless minors by contributing to the market for child pornography.”  Because of the marketplace for child pornography, the defendant “must be deterred, and others similarly-situated must be deterred,” said Judge Beistline.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Anchorage Police Department, Crimes Against Children Unit (CACU).  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Veldhuis and Kyle Reardon prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a former Ravn Alaska supervisor has been sentenced for stealing mail, including Apple computers destined for school districts in Alaska villages, from the U.S. Postal Service.  

Breadoflife “Presley” Faiupu, 37, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to serve five years of probation, with six months of community confinement in a halfway house.  In addition to his sentence, Faiupu was also ordered to pay $90,000 in restitution, joint and severally with his co-defendants.  In October 2018, Faiupu previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of mail theft.

During the course of the conspiracy, Faiupu and his co-defendant, Congress Lepou, abused their positions as supervisors at Ravn Alaska to steal computers from the mail, and then recruited those they supervised to help find buyers for the stolen computers.  The investigation further revealed that Faiupu and Lepou would then share the proceeds from the sales with those they were tasked to supervise, thus ensuring their silence.   

Specifically, from March 2015 to April 2017, Faiupu and Lepou used Ravn Alaska’s supervisor truck – intended for the transportation of mail from the U.S. Postal Service facility to Ravn airplanes for delivery to Alaska villages – to take articles stolen from the mail and drive them to the Ravn employee parking lot to load into their personal vehicles.  Faiupu and Lepou recruited ramp agents Hubert Barte, Paulo Maae, Rogelio Daquis, as well as former ramp agent Harold Velicaria, to help find buyers for the stolen Apple computers.  Lepou and Faiupu would then receive cash from Barte, Maae, Daquis, and Valicaria for the stolen computers, before sharing the proceeds. 

During the course of the conspiracy, Faiupu and Lepou stole approximately 60 Apple computers from the mail.  The total approximate retail value of stolen Apple computers attributable to Faiupu is $90,000.  The majority of those computers were intended for delivery to school districts in Alaska villages.  Lepou is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2019, at 1:30 p.m.   

Judge Gleason noted that the seriousness of the offense was based on the impact to the children who were waiting for computers to be delivered to rural school districts, but were instead stolen by Faiupu and his co-defendants and sold for a profit. 

The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  The Alaska State Trooper Technical Crimes Unit assisted in the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward. 

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Kodiak man has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing a firearm while trafficking drugs that were intended for distribution in Kodiak, Alaska.

Miguel Angel Angulo, 34, of Kodiak, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve seven years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and 250 hours of community service.  In September 2018, Angulo pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

According to court documents, Angulo became the subject of a federal investigation when, in April and May 2018, Angulo began publicly sharing photos and videos on social media, depicting himself possessing and using firearms.  Angulo has a prior state felony conviction for a drug trafficking offense, and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.

On June 1, 2018, Angulo attempted to flee his residence in Kodiak when state and federal law enforcement agents arrived to execute a search warrant.  Law enforcement officers detained Angulo and found him in possession of a Springfield .40 caliber semi-automatic firearm, which he carried to protect himself while trafficking drugs, as well as to protect the proceeds of drug trafficking.  Angulo was also in possession of approximately 117 grams of methamphetamine, 61 grams of heroin and an additional 61 grams of cocaine, all with an estimated street value of approximately $100,000.  The investigation revealed that Angulo received the narcotics via mail directly from a source in Mexico with ties to the Sinaloa drug cartel. 

During Angulo’s sentencing hearing, the court heard testimony that the amount of narcotics in Angulo’s possession was enough to support approximately 1,790 individual uses of illegal drugs.  In addition, the presence of the firearm clearly demonstrated Angulo’s major role in the illegal distribution of drugs throughout the remote island of Kodiak.  Judge Burgess highlighted Angulo’s “fundamentally flawed” argument that his actions did not pose a threat to the public because he never intended to harm anyone with the firearm, and that he played an overall minor role in the distribution of narcotics in Kodiak. The judge emphasized the need to protect the community from Angulo because of the ravaging effects of his distribution of illegal narcotics, both on the users who purchase them, and the family members, friends, and members of the community who also suffer the consequences of the drug use and addiction.

The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), and the Kodiak Police Department (KPD) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley Stevens.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Casey Richardson, 48, of Huson, Montana, Jeffrey Harris, 45, of Bainbridge Island, Washington, and Dale Lackner, 74, of Haines, Alaska, were sentenced Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, in federal court to five years of probation for violations of the Lacey Act and other federal laws. 

As part of their sentence, Richardson was also ordered to pay $14,000 in restitution, Harris was ordered to pay $26,000 in restitution, and Lackner was ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution.  Restitution was to be made to the Department of Interior Restoration Fund on behalf of the National Park Service, and to the State of Alaska.  The defendants are prohibited from any hunting or to assist in any hunting for the five years of probation.  They were each ordered to perform over 100 hours of community service, and assist in providing and paying for public service announcements which would include a statement about the importance of understanding and following hunting laws and regulations.  In addition, Richardson and Harris were each sentenced to serve three months in a halfway house followed by three months of home confinement, and Lackner was sentenced to six months of home confinement.  During the periods of home confinement, the defendants will be on electronic monitoring.

The three men previously pleaded guilty to several violations of the Lacey Act and other federal laws.  Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor Conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and two counts felony Conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act.  Harris pleaded guilty to one count felony Conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, one count felony Lacey Act False Record, one count False Statements, and one count Conspiracy to Use Substance to Incapacitate Game.  Lackner pleaded guilty to one count misdemeanor Conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and one count Lacey Act False Record. 

According to court documents, a federal investigation was launched in December 2015 after an anonymous letter was received by the State of Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Wildlife Investigations Unit.  The letter indicated illegal hunting activities were occurring at Ptarmigan Lake Lodge (PLL), which is located within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.  PLL is owned by Urban Rahoi and was permitted to operate as a concessionaire within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve to provide sport hunting guide services.  Richardson and Harris are not Alaska residents nor registered guides.  Lackner is an Alaska resident and was a registered guide beginning in 2015. 

During the 2014 and 2015 hunting seasons, out-of-state hunters illegally hunted and killed Dall Sheep at PLL without being accompanied by a registered guide.  In 2014, Harris guided an out-of-state hunter at PLL, with the hunter harvesting a Dall Sheep.  Harris falsified the hunt record indicating the hunt was conducted by a registered guide.  In 2014, at PLL, Harris harvested two brown bears without a guide present and without possessing a harvest ticket or locking tag for either bear.  One of the brown bears was harvested out of season and the hunt record was falsified.  Also in 2014, Richardson conspired with Lackner to harvest a Dall Sheep at PLL.  Lackner falsified the State of Alaska Sheep Harvest Report indicating he harvested the sheep and later transported the sheep to Montana, to Richardson.

In 2015, Richardson guided three out-of-state hunters, on three separate hunts at PLL.  All three hunters harvested Dall Sheep.  Harris falsified two of the hunt records indicating the hunts were conducted by registered guides.  Lackner falsified the third hunt record indicating that hunt was conducted by a registered guide.

In 2014 and 2015, multiple illegal bait site locations were determined to be maintained by PLL and not registered with the State of Alaska.  Xylitol, an artificial sweetener which is toxic to canines and birds, was used at the unlawful bait sites to poison wolves and bears. 

On July 5, 2016, the National Park Service suspended Urban Rahoi’s concession contract pending the outcome of the criminal investigation and directed Urban Rahoi to refund all hunt clients that may have been booked for 2016 and 2017 hunt seasons.  Urban Rahoi was issued a Federal Violation Notice for an unregistered bait site, surrendered his State of Alaska guide/outfitter license, and made a donation to the National Park Foundation. Justin Field, of Team Fate Outdoors, was issued a Federal Violation Notice for unlawful commercial filming, without a permit, of a 2015 Dall Sheep hunt.   

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the State of Alaska Wildlife Troopers, and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks conducted the investigation.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Retta Randall.

Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Justin Raymond Nekeferoff, 32, resident of Wasilla, Alaska, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to 50 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor.

According to evidence presented at trial, in 2015 a witness told law enforcement that Nekeferoff was expressing a desire to have sex with children as young as four years old.  The witness provided law enforcement officers with multiple text messages from Nekeferoff in which he stated that he liked to look at “lil girls in the stores,” and expressed his desire to perform sex acts with a “young girl” and a girl between the ages of “4-8.”  In another message provided by the witness, the defendant wrote, “I wanna take a girl’s virginity [a]nd ejaculate inside her.”  The witness also told law enforcement that Nekeferoff had spoken frequently about molesting other children, including a five- and 15-year-old girl.

Law enforcement arrested the defendant when he went to a Wasilla motel in order to meet a mother and her eight-year-old daughter for the purpose of having sex with the child.  In truth, the mother was an FBI agent and the child was fictional.  In a statement to police at the time of his arrest, the defendant admitted that he went to the motel to have sex with the fictional mother and her daughter.  The defendant said that he thought about having sex with kids “all the time,” and admitted to having molested other children previously.

At sentencing, Judge Burgess stated that his primary concern was protection of the public from the defendant, who he described as a person who was “compelled and driven to have sex with girls between the ages of 4 and 8.  That is what he wants; that is what he is looking for the opportunity to do.”  Judge Burgess went on to describe the defendant as a “dangerous person, he is a danger to young girls.”  Judge Burgess noted that the defendant was himself the victim of sexual abuse as a child, however, that did not diminish the severity of his conduct or the Court’s desire to “[make] sure our children are protected.”  “He is what he is, and I can’t change it,” said Judge Burgess, “what I can do is make sure children are protected from him.”  

In commenting on the proactive FBI investigation that led to the defendant’s arrest, Judge Burgess stated, “I think it is fortunate he was caught before he had the chance to further victimize young girls.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Anchorage Police Department, Crimes Against Children Unit (CACU).  Former Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Audrey Renschen and AUSA Kyle Reardon prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Anchorage, Alaska –U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that yesterday a federal jury in Anchorage convicted Steven Bachmeier of Kenai of one count of mailing a threatening communication.  The victim was a Superior Court Judge for the State of Alaska.  In a 2017 court filing, Mr. Bachmeier threatened to kill the Judge’s family.

Within three hours of deliberation, the jury found Bachmeier guilty of mailing a threatening communication, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason.  As a result of his conviction, Bachmeier faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.  The sentencing hearing has been set for April 2, 2019.

According to the evidence presented at trial, during a 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.  Subsequently, the Judge was assigned to a new case involving Bachmeier in 2017.  In response, Bachmeier mailed in a pleading in the case in which he wrote that “I have told her in past I’m going to kill her family, which I still [entend] to do.” (sic)

“All Alaskans, including public servants, deserve to be safe in their lives and at work, without fear from death threats,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder.  “This case illustrates that it is unacceptable to threaten public servants and their families.  We will prosecute those who seek to manipulate others, and the justice system, by making threats.”

Mr. Schroder commends the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the investigation of this case.  Also, the Alaska State Troopers, Division of Judicial Services.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Veldhuis and Aunnie Steward.

The Justice Department announced today the seizure of 15 internet domains associated with DDoS-for-hire services, as well as criminal charges against three defendants who facilitated the computer attack platforms.

The sites, which offered what are often called “booter” or “stresser” services, allowed paying users to launch powerful distributed denial-of-service, or DDoS, attacks that flood targeted computers with information and prevent them from being able to access the internet. Booter services such as those named in this action allegedly cause attacks on a wide array of victims in the United States and abroad, including financial institutions, universities, internet service providers, government systems, and various gaming platforms.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Nicola T. Hanna of the Central District of California, U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder of the District of Alaska, and Assistant Director Matthew Gorham of the FBI Cyber Division made the announcement.  The action against the DDoS services comes the week before the Christmas holiday, a period historically plagued by prolific DDoS attacks in the gaming world. 

On Dec. 19, pursuant to seizure warrants issued by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the FBI seized the domains of 15 booter services, which represent some of the world’s leading DDoS-for-hire services.  Among these sites were critical-boot.com, ragebooter.com, downthem.org and quantumstress.net.

According to the affidavit in support of the warrant authorizing the seizure of the 15 websites, these services offered easy access to attack infrastructure, payment options that included Bitcoin, and were relatively low cost.  Each of the services was tested by the FBI, which verified those DDoS attack services offered through each of the seized websites.  While testing the various services, the FBI determined that these types of services can and have caused disruptions of networks at all levels.

In conjunction with the seizure warrants, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California on Dec. 19 charged Matthew Gatrel, 30, of St. Charles, Illinois, and Juan Martinez, 25, of Pasadena, California, with conspiring to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act through the operation of services known as Downthem and Ampnode.  According to the criminal complaint filed in Los Angeles, Downthem offered DDoS services directly to users who wished to attack other internet users, and Ampnode offered resources designed to facilitate the creation of standalone DDoS services by customers.  Between October 2014 and November 2018, Downthem’s database showed over 2000 customer subscriptions, and had been used to conduct, or attempt to conduct, over 200,000 DDoS attacks.

On Dec. 12, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska charged David Bukoski, 23, of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, with aiding and abetting computer intrusions.   The charging documents allege that Bukoski operated Quantum Stresser, one of the longest-running DDoS services in operation.  As of Nov. 29, Quantum had over 80,000 customer subscriptions dating back to its launch in 2012.  In 2018 alone, Quantum was used to launch over 50,000 actual or attempted DDoS attacks targeting victims worldwide, including victims in Alaska and California.

“DDoS attacks are serious crimes that can cause real harm, as shown by the wide range of sectors allegedly victimized in this case,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski.  “The operators and the customers of DDoS-for-hire services should be on notice that the Department of Justice will aggressively prosecute those who perpetrate malicious cyber attacks.”

“DDoS for hire services such as these pose a significant national threat,” said U.S. Attorney Schroder.  “Coordinated investigations and prosecutions such as these demonstrate the importance of cross-District collaboration and coordination with public sector partners.”   

“The attack-for-hire websites targeted in this investigation offered customers the ability to disrupt computer networks on a massive scale, undermining the internet infrastructure on which we all rely,” said U.S. Attorney Hanna.  “While this week’s crackdown will have a significant impact on this burgeoning criminal industry, there are other sites offering these services – and we will continue our efforts to rid the internet of these websites.  We are committed to seeing the internet remain a forum for the free and unfettered exchange of information.”

“Whether you launch the DDoS attack or hire a DDoS service to do it for you, the FBI considers it criminal activity,” said FBI Assistant Director Gorham.  “Working with our industry and law enforcement partners, the FBI will identify and potentially prosecute you for this activity.  We will use every tool at our disposal to combat all forms of cybercrime including DDoS activity.  We encourage all DDoS victims to contact your local FBI field office or file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.”

Over the past five years, booter and stresser services have grown as an increasingly prevalent class of DDoS attack tools.  These types of DDoS attacks are so named because they result in the “booting” or dropping of the victim-targeted website from the internet.  Booter-based DDoS attack tools offer a low barrier to entry for users looking to engage in cyber criminal activity, representing an effective advance in internet attack technology.

For additional information on booter and stresser services and the harm that they cause, please visit: https://www.ic3.gov/media/2017/171017-2.aspx.

The charges in the indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The cases announced today are being investigated by the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and the FBI’s Cyber Initiative and Resource Fusion Unit (CIRFU).  Additional assistance was provided by the FBI’s Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, and Philadelphia Field Offices and the Scranton, Pennsylvania Resident Agency; the Major Cyber Crimes Unit, Global Operations and Targeting Unit, and Money Laundering Intelligence Unit of FBI Headquarters; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Tennessee and the Northern District of Illinois.  The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, the Dutch National Police – National High Tech Crime Unit, and the National Cyber-Forensics & Training Alliance made invaluable contributions.  Akamai, Bell Aliant, Cloudflare, Entertainment Software Association, Flashpoint, Google, Oath Inc., Oracle, Palo Alto Networks Unit 42, PayPal, Riot Games, ShadowDragon, SpyCloud, University of Cambridge and other valued private sector partners provided additional assistance.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today the seizure of an internet domain associated with DDoS-for-hire services, as well as criminal charges against a Pennsylvania man who facilitated the computer attack platform.  This case was brought as part of an FBI investigation that led to the seizure of 15 websites, resulting in criminal charges filed from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Alaska and the Central District of California. 

The sites, which offered what are often called “booter” or “stresser” services, allowed paying users to launch powerful distributed denial-of-service, or DDoS, attacks that flood targeted computers with information and prevent them from being able to access the internet.  Booter services such as named in this action allegedly cause attacks on a wide array of victims in the United States and abroad, including financial institutions, universities, internet service providers, government systems, and various gaming platforms. The action against the DDoS services comes the week before the Christmas holiday, a period historically plagued by prolific DDoS attacks in the gaming world.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska charged David Bukoski, 23, of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, with aiding and abetting computer intrusions.  The charging documents allege that Bukoski operated Quantum Stresser, one of the longest-running DDoS services in operation.  As of Nov. 29, Quantum had over 80,000 customer subscriptions dating back to its launch in 2012.  In 2018 alone, Quantum was used to launch over 50,000 actual or attempted DDoS attacks targeting victims worldwide, including victims in Alaska and California.  On Dec. 19, pursuant to seizure warrants issued by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the FBI seized the domains of 15 booter services, one of them being quantumstress.net, the service operated by Bukoski.

“The internet has become the nerve system of modern life, including modern business and government operations,” said U.S. Attorney Schroder.  “Against that backdrop, it is essential for law enforcement officers and prosecutors to act swiftly and decisively when criminals attack any part of that system, especially the end users.”

“FBI Anchorage’s Cyber squad worked closely with the FBI’s Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia Field Offices to address the severe threat posed by DDoS-for-hire in advance of the holiday season,” said Jeffery Peterson, the Special Agent in Charge of FBI’s Anchorage Field Office.  “The FBI could not have conducted this successful investigative effort without the cooperation of our international law enforcement and private industry partners.  Criminal enterprises and individual actors routinely use DDoS to disrupt networks and damage internet-based services, often resulting in substantial financial losses to companies and individuals. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue all crimes in cyberspace and strengthen America's cybersecurity.”

Over the past five years, booter and stresser services have grown as an increasingly prevalent class of DDoS attack tools.  These types of DDoS attacks are so named because they result in the “booting” or dropping of the victim-targeted website from the internet.  Booter-based DDoS attack tools offer a low barrier to entry for users looking to engage in cyber criminal activity, representing an effective advance in internet attack technology.  For additional information on booter and stresser services and the harm that they cause, please visit: https://www.ic3.gov/media/2017/171017-2.aspx.

The case against Bukoski is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander of the District of Alaska and Trial Attorney C. Alden Pelker of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) of the Criminal Division. 

The case announced today is being investigated by the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and the FBI’s Cyber Initiative and Resource Fusion Unit (CIRFU).  Additional assistance was provided by the FBI’s Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, and Philadelphia Field Offices and the Scranton, Pennsylvania Resident Agency; the Major Cyber Crimes Unit, Global Operations and Targeting Unit, and Money Laundering Intelligence Unit of FBI Headquarters; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Tennessee and the Northern District of Illinois.  The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, the Dutch National Police – National High Tech Crime Unit, and the National Cyber-Forensics & Training Alliance made invaluable contributions.  Akamai, Bell Aliant, Cloudflare, Entertainment Software Association, Flashpoint, Google, Oath Inc., Oracle, Palo Alto Networks Unit 42, PayPal, Riot Games, ShadowDragon, SpyCloud, University of Cambridge and other valued private sector partners provided additional assistance.

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.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that an Anchorage woman, who was an inmate at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center (HMCC) at the time of the offense, was sentenced for distributing fentanyl to other inmates while in prison, which resulted in the overdose of four inmates.

Dorothy Elizabeth Lantz, 37, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline, to serve 40 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to three counts of distribution of a controlled substance.  The court deferred ruling for 30 days on whether Lantz will also be ordered to pay restitution to the State of Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) for related hospital bills it incurred due to the fentanyl overdoses. 

According to court documents, on Oct. 24, 2017, Lantz was booked into Anchorage Correctional Complex (ACC) for a state probation violation.  On Oct. 30, 2017, Lantz was transferred from ACC to HMCC, while carrying fentanyl inside her body.  When she arrived at HMCC that afternoon, Lantz distributed a quantity of fentanyl to another HMCC inmate, and distributed a quantity of fentanyl to two other HMCC inmates the next day.  In all, between Oct. 30 and Oct. 31, 2017, four HMCC inmates overdosed after taking fentanyl, including one inmate who overdosed two separate times.  All four inmates were resuscitated and survived. 

During the course of the investigation, DOC personnel were able to recover .38 grams of fentanyl from one of the HMCC inmates who overdosed.  The investigation revealed that Lantz had traded the drugs to her fellow HMCC inmates in exchange for commissary items.  Fentanyl, sometimes known on the street as “Grey Death,” is a powerful synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times more powerful than heroin. 

At the sentencing hearing, the defendant acknowledged that in smuggling fentanyl into the prison and then distributing it, she had made “one bad decision after another.”  Judge Beistline underscored that the overdoses at HMCC was a “significant event” that required a significant sentence to deter others from making the same dangerous decisions that the defendant had made.  Moreover, the judge recognized that had the inmates who overdosed not been resuscitated the defendant would have been facing “years not months” in federal prison. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and DOC conducted the investigation, leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea W. Hattan

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Michael John Collier, 32, of Anchorage, charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.  Collier is in custody and is currently awaiting to be arraigned before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on these charges.

The indictment alleges that in February 2018, Collier knowingly distributed, by means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce, visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. It is further alleged that, on March 28, 2018, Collier knowingly possessed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, located on multiple computer or digital devices.  According to the indictment, the visual depictions of such conduct were of minors under the age of 12.  

If the public has any further information or concerns about the activities of Collier, please contact the Anchorage Police Department at (907) 786-2677. 

If convicted, Collier faces a statutory minimum of five years in prison and guideline sentence of the statuary maximum of 40 years in prison, for the most serious charges alleged 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 Anchorage Police Department (APD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.  The Alaska Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is made up of local, state, and federal agencies who develop effective responses to cyber enticement and child sexual exploitation cases.  This support encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, prevention and community education.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.

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.

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, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a Dillingham man has been indicted on federal drug trafficking charges, arising from the seizure of methamphetamine found inside his luggage at the Anchorage International Airport.  

Andrew Madison Straley III, 50, of Dillingham, was named in the indictment charging him with possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.  Straley is currently awaiting a court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on the federal charge.

According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 19, 2018, law enforcement officers observed Straley arrive at the Anchorage International Airport and check in for a flight bound for Dillingham.  Straley did not check any bags, but allegedly made a comment to another passenger that he needed to “go pick something up” before departing the airport as a passenger in a red sedan.  Approximately one hour later, Straley arrived back at the airport in the same car, and began walking toward his departure gate, carrying a blue roller bag.  Straley was contacted by law enforcement officers at the departure gate and was detained. 

A trained narcotics detector dog examined Straley’s luggage and subsequently indicated the presence of controlled substances.  Straley consented to a search of his luggage, and located inside was approximately 114.6 grams of methamphetamine, numerous baggies commonly used for the packaging and distribution of drugs, and numerous glass pipes. 

If convicted, Straley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and a maximum of up to life in prison, as well as a fine of up to $10 million, for the charge alleged in the indictment. Under federal sentencing statutes, 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 Airport Interdiction Team, which includes the Alaska State Troopers (AST), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Sandpoint Police Department, the Anchorage Police Department, the North Slope Borough Police Department, and the Anchorage Airport Police, conducted the investigation leading to the charge 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, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Juneau couple has been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy to distribute drugs in Juneau, Alaska.

Tiffany Spaulding, 35, of Juneau, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve five years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of drug conspiracy.  Her co-defendant, Christian Peters, 46, of Juneau, was previously sentenced to serve 30 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, on the same charge. 

According to court documents, a federal investigation was launched after a suspicious package was identified on Aug. 6, 2017, that originated from “Melly Sanchez” in California, to be delivered to “Rosetta Stone” in Juneau, Alaska.  A search warrant was obtained and executed on the package, and located inside was 198.8 grams of methamphetamine, and a quantity of 50 oxycodone pills.  After U.S. Postal Inspectors conducted a controlled delivery of the package on Aug. 9, 2017, Spaulding accepted the package and brought it to a residence she shared with Peters, who arrived a short time later.  Upon Peters’ arrival, the package was opened knowing that it contained methamphetamine intended for further distribution in Juneau. The investigation revealed that Spaulding and Peters had previously agreed with others to receive a package of methamphetamine at their residence, and to deliver methamphetamine to a co-conspirator. 

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), and the Juneau Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack S. Schmidt.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that an Alaska man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a large scale drug trafficking conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the small community of Craig, Alaska, and the surrounding communities of Prince of Wales Island.  

Bradley Payton Grasser, 63, of Craig, Alaska, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve 10 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.  In July 2017, Grasser pleaded guilty to methamphetamine conspiracy, and agreed to forfeit all rights to $89,703 in U.S. currency and 11 firearms, among other items, named in the forfeiture allegation.

According to court documents, starting in at least January 2014 and continuing until January 2017, Grasser coordinated and directed the distribution of methamphetamine on Prince of Wales Island for the conspiracy, as well as, collection of drug proceeds from co-conspirators.  Specifically, Grasser arranged for methamphetamine to be mailed to co-conspirators at various addresses on Prince of Wales Island and in Ketchikan, from his source of supply in Washington State.  Grasser would then use the drug proceeds to obtain more methamphetamine from his source of supply, for subsequent distribution on Prince of Wales Island.  During the course of the conspiracy, Grasser directed at least five individuals to either receive the drug packages and/or send drug proceeds back to his source of supply in Washington State. 

The total amount of methamphetamine seized during the conspiracy was 1133.7 grams intended for distribution on Prince of Wales Island and in Ketchikan.  Additionally, the investigation revealed that Grasser was in possession of $89,703 in drug proceeds and property that he obtained from his drug trafficking activities, which included 11 firearms, artwork, vessels, tenders, motorcycles, utility trailers, containers, and gun safes. 

“Protecting the citizens of rural Alaska is a high priority for my office and our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Schroder.  “According to the 2010 U.S. Census Borough, the population of Craig is 1,201, which means the amount of drugs seized from Grasser would be enough for nearly one gram of methamphetamine, or approximately 10 dosage units for every single person in the community.  The citizens of Craig, including the young people, are safer because of the efforts of the law enforcement agencies that investigated this case.”

“Alaska State Troopers take the trafficking of illicit drugs seriously,” said Major Andrew Greenstreet, Acting Director of the Alaska State Troopers.  “We’re grateful for the partnership with other law enforcement agencies on this case, and will continue efforts to prevent dangerous drugs from hitting our streets.”

“Postal Inspectors worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners in law enforcement in Southeast Alaska and the surrounding area on this investigation,” said Seattle Division Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  We take drug trafficking crimes very seriously and will continue to vigorously protect the U.S. Mail, communities, and customers against all forms of criminal attack and misuse.”

The Alaska State Troopers (AST), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Craig Police Department, and Klawock Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack S. Schmidt.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that three men have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy to import and distribute methamphetamine in Ketchikan, Alaska. 

Neptali Yadao Dadia, 41, of Ketchikan, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve 10 years in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to methamphetamine conspiracy.  At the time of the offense, Dadia was on supervised release from a previous federal drug conviction.

Dadia’s co-conspirators were each sentenced in September 2018 for their roles in the conspiracy, after previously pleading guilty to methamphetamine conspiracy.  Matthew Steven Speers, 28, of Ketchikan, was sentenced to serve five years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.  Jaypee Tolsa Lorenzo, 33, of Ketchikan, was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Dadia coordinated and directed the distribution of drugs, as well as, collection of drug proceeds from co-conspirators in Ketchikan, and for payment of drugs obtained from Nevada.  A federal investigation was launched after a suspicious package was identified on Aug. 18, 2017, that originated from “Ivy Si” in Las Vegas, Nevada, to be delivered to Speers in Ketchikan, Alaska.  A search warrant was obtained and executed on the package, and located inside was a teddy bear containing 53.92 grams of methamphetamine. 

The investigation revealed that Dadia contacted a co-conspirator outside of the United States, and arranged for the purchase and shipment of two ounces of methamphetamine to Nevada, and then to Speers in Alaska.  Dadia coordinated with Speers to receive the drug packages in Ketchikan, where Speers would take half of the drugs for distribution before giving the remaining half to Lorenzo.  Lorenzo would then deliver the remaining drugs, along with Speers’ drug proceeds, directly to Dadia for further distribution.  The investigation further revealed that Dadia had previously arranged a two-ounce shipment of methamphetamine, utilizing the same methods and co-conspirators in July 2017.

The Alaska State Troopers (AST) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack S. Schmidt.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Mitchell Zong, 45, a former Anchorage resident, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve 30 months in federal prison, and to pay a fine of $10,000, for conspiracy to commit money laundering with his father, Kenneth Zong.

As determined by the court, the government’s investigation revealed that between Sept. 8, 2013, and April 4, 2014, Mitchell Zong conspired with his father, Kenneth Zong, to commit money laundering violations in excess of $10,000.  The money was the proceeds of a conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transaction and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).  At sentencing, the Court found that Mitchell Zong laundered approximately $980,000 of Iranian derived funds in Anchorage, Alaska, knowing the funds came from his father’s illegal transactions with Iranian nationals.

In connection with this case, Mitchell Zong’s father, Kenneth Zong, has been under indictment in the District of Alaska for 47 violations of IEEPA, Providing Unlawful Services to the Government of Iran, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, and Money Laundering.  Three unnamed Iranian nationals are referenced in the indictment as unindicted Iranian co-conspirators.  Kenneth Zong is currently in custody in the Republic of South Korea for violations of Korean tax law, and after being convicted in 2015 for fraud related crimes connected to the IEEPA investigations.  

Mitchell Zong and other members of his family were ordered to forfeit to the United States approximately $10 million in assets, which were purchased with funds traceable to Kenneth Zong’s 2011 IEEPA activity in Seoul, South Korea.  In addition to the foregoing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint in July 2018 seeking to seize $20 million currently held in a sovereign wealth fund in the United Arab Emirates.  These funds, which are also traceable to Kenneth Zong’s illegal activity with three Iranian Nationals in South Korea, were part of a down payment made by Kenneth Zong’s Iranian co-conspirators for the purchase of a Sheraton Hotel in Tbilisi, Georgia.  The forfeiture case against those funds remains pending.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated Mitchell Zong’s crimes, leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Steven E. Skrocki and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas M. Walker.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Jessica Payge Malcolm, 27, of California, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline, to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.   

According to court documents, on Jan. 27, 2018, APD officers responded to reports of gunfire at the Northway Mall near a children’s trampoline park.  Upon arrival to the scene, officers observed three individuals, including Malcolm, fleeing on foot.  When officers made contact with Malcolm, she was found in possession of a Glock .45 caliber pistol with an extended 30 round magazine, located in her waistband.  The investigation revealed that Malcolm was visiting from California, and had been in Alaska for approximately two weeks before being found in possession of the firearm. 

Malcolm was arrested for illegally possessing the firearm and was later released on bail.  Shortly after, Malcolm fled to California, failing to appear in court on the state charges filed in Alaska.  The case was then referred for federal prosecution, and Malcolm was subsequently located and arrested in California. 

Malcolm has five prior felony convictions in California for burglary, forgery, and fraud related offenses, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.

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.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Stinson prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that an Alaska woman pleaded guilty in federal court for devising multiple schemes to defraud an Anchorage medical practice through various means. 

Jill Diane Applebury, aka: “Jill Wetzsteon,” 53, d/b/a Applebury Accounting Services, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to four counts of bank fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of fraudulent transactions with an access device.  The sentencing hearing has been scheduled for March 29, 2019, at 9:00 a.m.  

According to court documents, from the mid-1990’s until March 2013, Jill Applebury was an independent contractor who performed bookkeeping services for an Anchorage medical practice, which was owned and operated by an Anchorage physician.  From at least 2004 until March 22, 2013, Jill Applebury defrauded the Anchorage medical practice in several ways. 

According to admissions made in connection with her guilty plea, one such scheme stems from May 2008 to January 2010, when Jill Applebury used the medical practice’s funds to pay her Federal Income Tax Withholding without authority.  Specifically, Jill Applebury executed unauthorized and fraudulent transactions from the medical practice’s business bank account to the IRS, thereby having the medical practice pay her IRS individual income tax account. 

Another scheme involved the medical practice’s profit-sharing plan.  Employees of the medical practice were eligible to participate in its profit-sharing plan, which was overseen by a third-party administrator.  Independent contractors did not qualify for the plan; however, Jill Applebury falsely represented to the third-party administrator that she had become a full-time employee of the medical practice in 2009, making her eligible to participate in the profit-sharing plan beginning in 2010.  In all, Jill Applebury fraudulently caused the physician to unknowingly allocate $62,722.90 to her in unauthorized profit-sharing plan contributions for the years 2010 and 2011. 

In April and May 2011, Jill Applebury devised a scheme to defraud the medical practice by fraudulently transferring funds from the medical practice’s business bank account to pay for charges on her personal credit card, which she shared with her husband Darin Applebury, including charges for travel and dining.  Additionally, between 2004 and March 22, 2013, Jill and Darin Applebury used the medical practice’s business credit card to pay for items for their own personal and/or business benefit.  The unauthorized charges included cell phone service for the Appleburys and members of their family, internet service for their residence, business licenses for businesses owned by Jill and Darin Applebury, automobile insurance for their personal vehicles, and other personal items. 

The investigation also revealed that in October 2012, Jill Applebury fraudulently used the medical practice’s business credit card to purchase nearly $3,000 of medical products for her husband’s business, Rapid Recovery Medical Service, Inc.  The fraudulent credit card purchases were made using the physician’s name and address without the knowledge and permission of the Anchorage physician.

Jill Applebury faces a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the 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 charges in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Retta-Rae Randall.  

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that an Anchorage man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in Alaska.

Khamsay Xayamonty, 35, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve nine years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to one count of drug conspiracy.  Xayamonty also agreed to forfeit all rights to $40,000 in drug proceeds that had been seized during the course of the investigation. 

Xayamonty’s co-conspirator, Chakaphong Chantha, 30, of Anchorage, was previously sentenced to serve seven years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to one count of drug conspiracy. 

According to court documents, sometime between April 2015 and continuing to June 2016, Xayamonty, Chantha, and others entered into an agreement to obtain controlled substances, including methamphetamine and heroin, from sources in California, for distribution in Alaska.  Part of Xayamonty’s role in the conspiracy was to transport money he received from others in Alaska to the source of supply in California.  At the time of Xayamonty’s arrest in June 2016, he was found traveling with a case full of firearms, including one with an obliterated serial number, as well as $40,000 in admitted drug proceeds.

This case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), 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 Stephan A. Collins.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Stuart Gregory Ravn, 30, of Anchorage, charging him with one count of sexual exploitation of a child – possession of child pornography.  Ravn was arraigned this morning before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith, and was ordered detained pending trial.  

The indictment alleges that on Oct. 23, 2018, Ravn knowingly possessed or accessed with intent to view, by means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce, matter that contained visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, located on a computer or digital device.  It is further alleged that the visual depictions of such conduct were of minors under the age of 12.   

If the public has any further information or concerns about the activities of Ravn, please contact the FBI at (907) 276-4441. 

If convicted, Ravn faces a statutory minimum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.  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.  Ravn has a previous conviction with the State of Alaska for possession and distribution of child pornography.

The Anchorage Police Department (APD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the State of Alaska Department of Corrections, Anchorage Adult Probations conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Alexander and Anne Veldhuis.

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.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that an Anchorage man has been indicted on federal drug trafficking charges, arising from the seizure of over 16 pounds of heroin in Anchorage.

Don Deviet Frye Sr., 53, of Anchorage, was named in the indictment charging him with attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.  Frye’s arraignment hearing has been set for Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, at 3:00 p.m.

According to the criminal complaint, a suspicious package was intercepted on Nov. 6, 2018, originating from “David Johnson” in California, to be delivered to “Robert Johnson” in Anchorage.  The package weighed approximately 27 pounds and was postmarked with $168.95 in postage.  A trained narcotics detector dog examined the package and subsequently indicated the presence of controlled substances.  A search warrant was obtained and executed on the package, and located inside were two “Christmas-themed” cardboard boxes that contained approximately 7,638.94 grams of heroin.

On Nov. 7, 2018, law enforcement officers conducted a controlled delivery of the package to the intended address, and observed Frye receive and take the package inside the residence.  Once law enforcement received indication that the package had been opened, officers converged on and secured the residence, where Frye was the sole occupant at the time.  At the time of his arrest, Frye was in possession of a torn plastic baggie, a glass pipe, and a knife. 

If convicted, Frye faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and a maximum of up to life in prison, as well as a fine of up to $10 million, for the most serious charges alleged in the indictment.  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 defendants. 

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Alaska Wildlife Trooper Aircraft Section and air asset, HELO3, and the State of Alaska Department of Corrections K-9 conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina M. Sherman.

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, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Alonzo Dean Jenkins, 31, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve 100 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.  A jury previously found Jenkins guilty of the charge in June 2018, after a three-day trial. 

According to evidence presented at trial, on Jan. 26, 2017, an APD officer stopped a 2007 BMW for a traffic violation.  The officer recognized Jenkins from prior encounters and subsequently requested back-up. Once a second officer was dispatched to the scene, Jenkins was asked to step out of the vehicle for a pat search.  Officers observed that Jenkins had an odor of alcohol on his breath along with, in plain view, a gallon sized bottle of whisky in the vehicle.  As Jenkins was standing outside the vehicle, the second officer observed a pistol underneath the driver’s seat.  Jenkins was arrested and the vehicle was towed from the scene.  A blood sample obtained from Jenkins later tested positive for methamphetamine, and a subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a Taurus 9mm pistol, with an obliterated serial number, loaded with seven rounds of ammunition.   

Jenkins has three prior felony convictions with the State of Alaska, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.  Jenkins also has a long criminal history of violent, firearm, and drug related offenses.  

The Anchorage Police Department (APD), 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.  This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Stinson.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that an Anchorage man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine intended for distribution. 

Sergio Jauna Devoe, 28, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve 10 years in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.  

According to court documents, on May 24, 2017, APD’s Community Action Policing (CAP) and Vice units arranged to purchase heroin from Devoe at the Northway Mall, in front of the Carrs grocery store.  Specifically, a call was placed to Devoe, and he agreed to sell two ounces of heroin for $1,850 each.  Devoe arrived driving a Lexus sedan accompanied by another individual in the passenger seat, before officers immediately blocked in the vehicle.  Officers observed a firearm in plain view located inside the vehicle.  Upon being detained, a rolled up $5 bill containing .75 grams of cocaine fell out of Devoe’s hand.  Devoe said he didn’t know about the gun, that he was not involved with drugs anymore, that he had $1,000 in his pocket, that he was borrowing his girlfriend’s car, and that he just picked up his passenger. 

Located inside the vehicle was a stolen and loaded Smith & Wesson M&P Shield pistol, along with a lock box that contained 51.5 grams of methamphetamine and 25.27 grams of fentanyl, which was marketed as heroin.  Fentanyl, sometimes known on the street as “Grey Death,” is a powerful opioid that is up to 50 times more powerful than heroin.  Law enforcement officers also seized two cell phones, two digital scales, and 8.8 grams of marijuana.  

The Anchorage Police Department (APD) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Stinson.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Russell Cherry, 51, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, to serve four years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.  Cherry worked as a neuropsychologist treating children in Anchorage until he was indicted in June 2018.  

According to court documents, in the summer of 2017, Cherry had been using a file-sharing network to download images and videos depicting child sexual exploitation.  Cherry became the subject of a federal investigation after APD detectives observed activity from an IP address that had distributed through the file-sharing network, a 4-minute video depicting the sexual assault of two children between eight and 10 years old.  The investigation determined that the IP address was associated with Cherry’s residence.

On Aug. 29, 2017, APD and FBI executed a search warrant on Cherry’s residence, where several hundred images depicting child pornography were found on a number of different devices belonging to Cherry.  During a statement to law enforcement at the time of the search, Cherry admitted to searching for and downloading images depicting child sexual exploitation for his own “curiosity.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Steven Michael Lee McComas, age 21, of Anchorage, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve a combined sentence of 78 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.  In July 2018, McComas pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce.

According to court documents, on Feb. 9, 2018, at 3:45 a.m., a pizza delivery driver in Fairbanks was robbed at gunpoint by several individuals.  The investigation revealed that McComas’ cellular telephone was used to order a pizza to a location in Fairbanks.  When the driver arrived at the location, she was approached by two individuals armed with firearms.  They pointed the firearms at the driver and took $130 and a cellular telephone.  A vehicle then pulled up and the two individuals got inside and drove away.  McComas knew his phone was used to call the pizza delivery driver to the location in Fairbanks, and knew that his two co-conspirators were armed with firearms when they robbed the delivery driver.  McComas was also present in the vehicle that drove the two individuals away from the scene.

On Feb. 10, 2018, at 1:40 a.m., another pizza delivery driver in Anchorage was robbed at gunpoint by several individuals wearing masks and winter hats.  They took his cellular telephone, $80, his shoes, and his vehicle, a 2007 Dodge Nitro.  Later that morning, Anchorage Police saw the stolen vehicle near Elmore Road and Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave.  APD attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver accelerated and drove evasively, to include running a red light.  Officers eventually stopped the vehicle and McComas was identified as the driver.  He was in possession of a Kel-Tec Sub-2000 9mm semiautomatic rifle loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition.  Inside the vehicle was a spent 9mm shell casing, black gloves and a white ski mask. 

McComas is prohibited from possession of firearms due to his prior felony conviction for Vehicle Theft in the First Degree.  McComas has three prior adult vehicle theft related convictions, and has been charged as an adult with two other vehicle thefts that were dismissed or not prosecuted by the State of Alaska.   

Before imposing a sentence, Judge Burgess noted that this was a very serious offense and dangerous conduct.  He acknowledged the fear the delivery drivers must have felt when they were confronted by multiple individuals pointing firearms at them.  Judge Burgess was particularly concerned about the escalating dangerous behavior shown by McComas, and how he had “graduated” from stealing vehicles to becoming involved in robberies and in possession of firearms. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Anchorage Police Department, and the Fairbanks Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Port Graham resident has been sentenced to federal prison for causing the U.S. Coast Guard to attempt to save life and property when no help was needed, thereby causing unnecessary expenditure of vital lifesaving resources. 

Ryan Riley Meganack, aka: “Unga,” 35, of Port Graham, Alaska, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to serve 2.5 years in prison, with 15 months to be served consecutively to his 25 year (10 years suspended) state prison sentence in State of Alaska v. Meganack, 3AN-15-00683CR, following his guilty pleas to one count of false distress and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.  Meganack was also ordered to pay $384,261.50 in restitution to the U.S. Coast Guard. 

Meganack, a long-time commercial fisherman and a boat captain, was scheduled to plead guilty to sexual assault of an incapacitated woman in December 2016, in a separate case (State of Alaska v. Meganack, 3AN-15-00683CR).  Meganack was a second time sex offender and faced many years in prison for that crime.  To avoid prison, Meganack hatched a plan to fake his own death, which involved him causing a false report of distress to the U.S. Coast Guard.  Meganack planned to flee Alaska when the search for him proved unsuccessful and was suspended.  Meganack manipulated his younger girlfriend and co-defendant, Ivy Rose Rodriguez, now age 28, into helping him carry off the hoax to flee Alaska when the search for him proved unsuccessful. 

The investigation revealed that, on Nov. 29, 2016, Meganack piloted his fishing vessel to an island near Port Graham bay alone, with his seiner skiff in tow.  Meganack staged his skiff on the rocks, “swamped” it, and made it appear that he had gone missing after a boating accident or had otherwise died.  Meganack then returned to Port Graham harbor, picked up Rodriguez, and traveled up Port Graham Bay, where they secured Meganack’s fishing vessel in a slough.  Meganack and Rodriguez returned to Port Graham on foot.  Rodriguez returned to Meganack’s mother’s residence, while Meganack went to the makeshift campsite he had previously set up, stocked with supplies, located in the woods near his mother’s residence.

In the early morning hours of Nov. 30, 2016, Rodriguez – per Meganack’s instructions – reported to Meganack’s mother that: (1) she and Meganack had fought the night before; (2) Meganack had left in his skiff; (3) he was drunk; and (4) the skiff was not working well.  Between Nov. 30, 2016, and Dec. 2, 2016, Meganack and Rodriguez caused a search and rescue operation to be launched for Meganack.  The weather conditions during the search were poor, with snow, high winds, and low visibility at times in the Port Graham area.  Meganack was, in actuality, safe in his makeshift camp that he made for carrying out their plan. 

Federal, state, and local authorities, as well Port Graham and Nanwalek residents, participated in the search for Meganack.  Helicopters from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Coast Guard Cutter Naushon, and Coast Guard command center personnel participated in the operation.   The Coast Guard alone expended approximately $384,261.50 in resources during the search for Meganack.  When searchers found Meganack’s skiff, the motor was down, its throttle was forward, the key was in the “on” position, and inside was a single rubber boot and an empty bottle of liquor.

During the course of the investigation, Rodriguez cooperated and told authorities where Meganack was located and that he was armed.  Meganack was later found at his makeshift camp, and in possession of a loaded semiautomatic rifle.  Meganack had previously been convicted of two felony offenses, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. 

In sentencing Meganack, Judge Gleason underscored the seriousness of Meganack’s false distress offense, which she recognized had “an enormous impact” on the Coast Guard and the Port Graham community and “put so many at risk” needlessly.  The judge emphasized the need to send a message that those who make false distress calls to the U.S. Coast Guard will face criminal penalties.

The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea W. Hattan.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that two Alaska men were sentenced yesterday in federal court for harassing and killing Steller sea lions with shotguns, and obstructing the government’s investigation into their criminal activities. 

Jon Nichols, 31, of Cordova, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith, to serve five years of probation, three months of home incarceration, 400 hours of community service, and pay a $20,000 fine.  Nichols is also required to publish a public apology in a national magazine covering commercial fishing.  Theodore “Teddy” Turgeon, 21, of Wasilla, was sentenced to serve four years of probation, one month of home incarceration, 40 hours of community work service, and pay a $5,000 fine. 

In June 2018, Nichols and Turgeon each pleaded guilty to one count of Marine Mammal Protection Act – Illegal Take.  Nichols also pleaded guilty to one count of Obstruction of a Marine Mammal Protection Act Investigation.

According to court documents, a federal investigation was launched after 15 Steller sea lions were found dead at the mouth of the Copper River, during the opening of the 2015 Copper River salmon season.  During that season, Nichols was captain of the Fishing Vessel (F/V) Iron Hide, and Turgeon was part of his crew.  The investigation revealed that, on various occasions between May and June 2015, Nichols regularly directed his crew, including Turgeon, to shoot at Steller sea lions while fishing in the Copper River fishing district.  The shootings were carried out using a pair of shotguns kept aboard the vessel, one each belonging to Nichols and Turgeon.  At times, Nichols would shoot the Steller sea lions himself, and at other times, Nichols would drive the F/V Iron Hide in the direction of the Steller sea lions to allow Turgeon and his crew to get a better shot.  

After learning there was an investigation into the dead Steller sea lions, from June 6, 2015, through October 2016, Nichols obstructed the investigation by, among other things, coordinating false stories between his crew members regarding the shooting of sea lions and about the presence of firearms aboard the vessel.  For example, after encouraged to do so by Nichols, Turgeon lied to a NOAA law enforcement agent stating that the crew did not shoot sea lions and there were no guns on the F/V Iron Hide, when he knew these statements to be false. 

The Steller sea lion is protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and is listed as an endangered species for the geographic area where the shooting occurred.

NOAA, Office of Law Enforcement (NOAA OLE) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that an Anchorage man was found guilty of one count of credit union robbery, in connection with the September 2018 robbery of Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, located at 500 West 36th Avenue in Anchorage. 

Eyob Eric Stewart Imlach, 23, of Anchorage, was convicted by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason after a bench trial lasting a little over one day.  As a result of his conviction, Imlach faces a maximum penalty of up to twenty years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.  The sentencing hearing is set for Feb. 4, 2019.

According to evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 6, 2018, Imlach entered Alaska USA at approximately 12:24 pm, wearing a dark parka with the hood pulled over his head and carrying a backpack.  After entering the credit union, Imlach approached a teller and wrote a note on the back of a check that had his name and address, which read “Give me all the $.”  The teller did not immediately give cash to Imlach, so he passed the note to a second teller.  Imlach received approximately $1,778 from the second teller, and then left the credit union with the money. 

After the robbery, an Alaska USA employee observed Imlach walk across the parking lot along W. 36th Avenue and enter the Qupqugiag Inn.  Within minutes, APD officers surrounded the Inn and entered the building.  Imlach tried to flee by opening a window and climbing out onto a deck; however, officers positioned on that side of the building immediately detained him.  Officers recovered Imlach’s backpack, which was located in a black garbage bag inside the Inn and near the window he climbed out of.  Also recovered were numerous bills in different denominations of U.S. currency scattered around common areas of the Inn, including inside a small refrigerator.   

FBI agents searched Imlach’s backpack and recovered the note used to commit the robbery, clothing worn during the robbery, and U.S. currency.  The investigation further revealed that, about an hour before the robbery, Imlach had drawn attention inside the ASRC building located near Alaska USA, after trying to seek access to suites on the floors above the main lobby.  Imlach was denied access but refused to leave the building.  APD was called, and they subsequently escorted Imlach out of the building. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Corso and Charisse Arce.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Clint Registe, 37, of Anchorage, was named in a criminal complaint charging him with felon in possession of a firearm, which stems from a July 2018 homicide investigation.  Registe is in custody and is currently awaiting a court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on the federal charge. 

According to the complaint affidavit, the federal charge stems from an investigation into the July 20, 2018 shooting death of Brittney Sparks.  On July 20, 2018, APD responded to Registe’s Anchorage apartment, and upon the execution of a search warrant, authorities seized several firearms – one of which was a Mak-90 semi-automatic assault rifle.  The complaint alleges that, after Registe was taken into custody, he admitted that he had been in possession of the Mak-90 rifle, and while handling it, it had gone off, killing Ms. Sparks.

Registe is currently facing additional charges with the State of Alaska for Manslaughter and Murder in the Second Degree, in connection with this case.  He has a prior felony conviction with the State of Alaska for Assault, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. 

If convicted, Registe faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, for the charge alleged in the complaint.  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 Anchorage Police Department (APD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison M. O’Leary.

This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

A criminal 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, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Kelly Cavanaugh will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 6, 2018, general election.  AUSA Cavanaugh has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Alaska, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

U.S. Attorney Schroder said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud.  The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur.  The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them.  For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law.  Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).

The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy.  We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.  In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on Nov. 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, U.S. Attorney Schroder stated that AUSA/DEO Cavanaugh will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.  He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 907-271-5071.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.  The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 907-276-4441.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to voting.section@usdoj.gov or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.

U.S. Attorney Schroder said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate.  It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Antonio Travis Steward, 41, of Anchorage, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, to serve 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, on numerous occasions that involved criminal activity in Anchorage.  

According to court documents, on April 30, 2017, APD officers responded to a report of a male, later identified as Steward, who was passed out in the Driver’s seat of a vehicle.  Steward appeared impaired and was therefore asked to participate in standardized field sobriety tests.  When officers conducted a search, they recovered from Steward a stolen Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol, along with quantities of marijuana and cocaine.  

On Sept. 5, 2017, APD was dispatched to a report of a stolen vehicle.  Officer’s blocked in the vehicle and contacted the driver, identified as Steward.  When the vehicle was searched, officers recovered a stolen Tanfoligo 9mm pistol from underneath the driver’s seat, which was loaded with an extended magazine that contained 16 rounds of ammunition.  Additionally, quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia were found inside the vehicle.

On Feb. 5, 2018, APD was dispatched to a residence for an assault involving a firearm, where Steward had repeatedly struck the victim and then pointed a black handgun at her, and stated he was going to shoot her.  The victim ran to a neighbor and Steward left the scene.  

On March 11, 2018, APD was dispatched to an Anchorage hotel regarding a suspicious person in a vehicle.  Officers arrived and observed Steward slumped over in the driver’s seat.  Steward was difficult to wake up and was asked to participate in standardized field sobriety tests.  When Steward exited the vehicle, officers observed he had been sitting on a Colt .45 caliber pistol.  During a pat search, officers discovered quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia.

After each of these offenses, Steward had been arrested and released on bail.  Due to the serious and repetitive nature of Steward’s criminal activity, the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office referred the matter for federal prosecution.  Steward has multiple prior felony convictions for crimes involving theft, robbery, and bank robbery, as well as several misdemeanor convictions.  As a convicted felon, Steward was prohibited from possessing firearms.

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.  The case was developed through cooperation with the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Stinson prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Wasilla man has been sentenced in federal court for embezzling approximately $80,000, over the course of nearly five years, from the Alaska Chapter of the Association of Civilian Technicians labor union.  

Timothy Carrol Smith, 49, of Wasilla, was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve eight months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  Smith was also ordered to pay $80,990.61 in restitution to ACT Chapter 84.  Smith previously pleaded guilty in April 2018 to one count of making a false statement.

According to court documents, from 2007 to 2015, Smith held volunteer positions as secretary-treasurer and then president, for Alaska Chapter 84 of the Association of Civilian Technicians (ACT) at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a labor union representing approximately 70 dues-paying members who are Army National Guard civilian technicians throughout Alaska.  During that time, Smith was responsible for managing the organization’s funds, including making travel arrangements, co-signing checks, paying bills, and meeting reporting requirements.  Specifically, Smith was responsible for submitting annual financial disclosure reports to the Department of Labor Management and Standards, regarding how the organization’s funds were disbursed.  Smith filed the required Form LM-3 on behalf of ACT Chapter 84 for the fiscal years ending 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. 

Over the course of nearly five years, beginning in January 2011, Smith knowingly and willfully embezzled, stole, and illegally converted union funds to his own personal use in a total amount of $80,990.61, by conducting hundreds of unauthorized transactions.  Smith then concealed his embezzlement by filing false reports to the Department of Labor by omitting the full amount of money he was receiving from the union. 

For example, between January 2011 and September 2015, Smith used ACT Chapter 84 ATM card to make over 200 unauthorized cash withdrawals totaling $59,401.85.  Between December 2010 and September 2015, Smith used an ACT Chapter 84 debit card to pay for over 300 unauthorized transactions totaling $20,988.76.  In December 2013, Smith wrote a check payable to “cash” in the amount of $600 and cashed the check for an unauthorized expense.  Smith used the stolen funds to pay personal expenses rather than ACT Chapter 84 expenses.  

The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aunnie Steward and Stephen Corso.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Sitka man has been indicted on federal charges alleging he illegally constructed and possessed a pipe bomb. 

Zachary Loewen, 28, of Sitka, was named in the indictment charging him with possession of an unregistered destructive device, unlawfully making a destructive device, and for being a felon in possession of an explosive.  Loewen’s arraignment hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 25, 2018, at 11:30 a.m.

According to the federal indictment, on or about Oct. 4, 2018, Loewen knowingly possessed and made an explosive device, specifically a pipe bomb, not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Records.  The indictment further alleges that, on Oct. 14, 2018, Loewen knowingly received and possessed a combination of parts intended for the construction of pipe bombs.  

According to state court documents, after failed attempts at purchasing a firearm due to his prior felony convictions, Loewen began purchasing materials to construct a pipe bomb. On Oct. 4, 2018, near Herring Cove Road in Sitka, Loewen allegedly attempted to ignite the bomb with a candlewick fuse, but abandoned the explosive device after a failed ignition. 

Loewen has two prior felony convictions in the state of Washington and was therefore prohibited from possessing explosives.  If convicted, Loewen faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison on each count, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.  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 Sitka Police Department (SPD), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), 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 Kimberly Sayers-Fay.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

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, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a Skagway man has been indicted on charges alleging smuggling of walrus ivory and the illegal export and import of walrus ivory in violation of the Lacey Act.

James Terrance Williams, 67, of Skagway, d.b.a. Inside Passage Arts, was named in the 10-count indictment charging him with smuggling walrus ivory from the United States, smuggling walrus ivory into the United States, illegal sale of smuggled ivory in violation of the Lacey Act, and Lacey Act false labeling.  

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.  The indictment alleges that, in October 2014 and March 2016, Williams illegally exported raw, unworked, walrus ivory tusks from Alaska to 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, it is alleged that, 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.  Furthermore, it is alleged that, Williams knowingly made or submitted false records and accounts for the importation, transportation, and sale of carved walrus ivory tusks.

If convicted, Williams faces terms of imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines up to $250,000. 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.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Steven E. Skrocki.  

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, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a Palau national has been sentenced in federal court for carjacking a woman’s vehicle in Anchorage, which led to a vehicle chase during which he caused a collision with another driver.

Cordy Mai Martin, 26, a citizen of Palau who has been living in Fairbanks, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, to serve 11 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  Martin previously pleaded guilty in August 2018 to carjacking and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

According to court documents, at around 5:45 a.m. on the morning of May 4, 2018, in the parking lot of the Alaska Native Medical Center, Martin approached a young woman as she was walking to work in the hospital.  Martin ran up to her with a stolen Taurus .40 caliber pistol, racked the slide, and pointed it at her at close range.  Martin told her he wanted her keys, which she gave to him.  He then asked her where her car was in the parking lot.  The woman walked a short ways, pointed out her car, and then ran away inside the hospital.  Martin then drove away in the woman’s vehicle.

Shortly after the carjacking, APD located the woman’s vehicle and attempted to pull Martin over.  Martin refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued with Martin driving at high speed, and on the wrong side of the road.  Martin did not stop driving until he collided with another vehicle, causing the other driver to lose consciousness.  The driver of the car hit by Martin was transported from the scene to the hospital, where he was treated for significant injuries.  After the collision, Martin fled on foot and was arrested after APD K-9 found him hiding in a boat in a nearby yard. 

Martin has a previous felony conviction with the State of Alaska for Misconduct Involving Weapons in the Third Degree, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.

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 Anne Veldhuis.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that, yesterday, a federal jury in Anchorage convicted Tyler Chance Bateman, 28, of Anchorage, of eight counts of threatening interstate communications, for using the internet to threaten people in Anchorage.  The victims included Bateman’s parents, two Anchorage Police Department officers and their families, and shoppers at a local business.

Within one hour of deliberation, the jury found Bateman guilty on all eight counts after a three-day trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess.  As a result of his convictions, Bateman faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.  The sentencing hearing has been set for Feb. 4, 2019.

According to evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 4, 2018, Bateman left his home in Anchorage on a one-way airline ticket to New York City.  On Feb. 26, 2018, while in New York, Bateman created a text message thread to three people – two family members and a former employer, writing about why he left Alaska, his plans for making a living in New York, how those plans failed, and asked that someone buy him a ticket back to Alaska.  After none of the text message recipients offered to buy him a ticket, Bateman responded with a series of messages threatening to shoot, poison, and cut the victims.  One of the threats suggested that Bateman would commit a mass shooting.

Later that same day, Bateman threatened, via social media, to shoot and poison an Anchorage Police Officer and “several other people.”  Bateman also sent threats to the Police Officer’s personal social media account.  Further, Bateman sent threats to APD’s public Facebook page saying, among other things, “I am going to walk into a building with an AR15. I am going to hurt a lot of people.” Approximately seven minutes later, Bateman sent a message to the same APD account alleging that a specific address is where the Chief of Police lived.

On the morning of March 2, 2018, FBI Special Agents in New York City arrested Bateman on charges alleging that he made threatening statements against an Anchorage business and an Anchorage Police Officer.  Shortly after his arrest, Bateman was transported back to Anchorage to face the charges.     

“Even in the modern digital world, all Alaskans deserve to live their lives safely and securely, without being the victims of frightening — and seemingly anonymous — threats,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder.  “What this case clearly illustrates is that those threats do not remain anonymous.  Our law enforcement partners will find the perpetrators, and we will prosecute them.”

“It may have taken Mr. Bateman just a few minutes to write his threats, but now he’s facing a lifetime of consequences,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office, Jeffery Peterson.  “This case is a stark example of how the FBI and our partners respond to threats seriously.  It also illustrates the anonymity of the keyboard will not prevent law enforcement from finding a perpetrator and bringing that person to justice.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department (APD), conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas M. Walker.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Dennis Weston, 54, of Anchorage, charging him with one count of sexual exploitation of a child – possession of child pornography.  

The indictment alleges that in June 2018, Weston knowingly possessed, by means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce, visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, located on a computer or digital device.  Weston is a former employee of the State of Alaska Department of Juvenile Justice, who had previously worked at the McLaughlin Youth Center.

If the public has any further information or concerns about the activities of Weston, please contact the FBI at (907) 276-4441.

If convicted, Weston faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.  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 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 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.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that an Anchorage man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in the Sept. 25, 2017, armed robbery of Caffé D’Arte and the attempted armed robbery of Heavenly Cup, which led to a vehicle chase during which defendant shot at one of the pursuing APD vehicles.   

Myles Gonangnan, 28, of Anchorage, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason to serve 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  This sentence resulted from Gonangnan’s February 2018 guilty plea to four charges:  (1) conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce; (2) robbery affecting interstate commerce; (3) attempted robbery affecting interstate commerce; and (4) using or discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  

Gonangnan’s co-defendant, Shane Twigg, 36, of Eagle River, is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. for his role in the offense.  

According to court documents, Gonangnan admitted that prior to Sept. 25, 2017, he and Twigg planned to rob Anchorage businesses, planned to use a gun to achieve compliance with their demands for money, and planned to use a combination of a bicycle and vehicle to flee from their crimes.  On the morning of Sept. 25, 2017, Twigg called Gonangnan to set the plan in motion.  The two met at an apartment Twigg frequented, where Twigg loaded a bicycle into the back of his girlfriend’s Buick SUV.  The two then left, armed with a Roger Redhawk .44 caliber pistol.

Gonangnan and Twigg subsequently drove by Caffé D’Arte and decided to rob the coffee stand.  Twigg stopped the vehicle a short distance away so that Gonangnan could depart on bike.  Twigg then parked his vehicle in a nearby gas station and gave Gonangnan a “thumbs up” signal when he deemed it safe to proceed with the robbery.  After receiving the signal, at about 8:22 a.m., Gonangnan biked up to one of the drive-through windows and demanded money from the barista while brandishing a firearm.  The barista fearfully gave Gonangnan approximately $1,200. 

Just over an hour later, Twigg and Gonangnan attempted to rob another Anchorage coffee stand, the Heavenly Cup, in the same way they robbed Caffé D’Arte.  Gonangnan biked up to the drive-through window, and again demanded money and tried to brandish his firearm.  Gonanagnan had some difficulty unholstering the firearm, but his attempts to do so frightened the barista, who immediately fled to the back of the stand and called 911.  After finally getting the gun unholstered, Gonangnan fled on the bike with no proceeds. 

Shortly after the attempted robbery of Heavenly Cup, Anchorage police saw the Buick SUV traveling on Dimond Blvd.  The vehicle refused to stop and a chase ensued.  After one police vehicle hit the Buick’s back end in an attempt to disable it, Gonangnan shot out of the back of the Buick at the police officer whose vehicle impacted them, hitting the police vehicle multiple times.  That police vehicle became disabled, but several others continued to pursue the fleeing Buick.  After Twigg drove the Buick the wrong way on a one-way road, police rammed the vehicle again, causing it to crash and disable in a parking lot.

Gonanagnan has a previous felony conviction with the State of Alaska for Burglary in the Second Degree, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.  Gonangnan also has a long history of misdemeanor offenses that were sometimes assaultive or threatening. 

At the sentencing hearing, Judge Gleason took into account the seriousness of the offense, including the danger posed to the baristas and their customers, the APD officers, and Anchorage citizens, as well as Gonangnan’s personal and criminal history.  Judge Gleason also recommended that BOP place Gonangnan in a facility with strong mental health treatment services, and that Gonangnan avail himself of substance abuse treatment during incarceration. Gonangnan was also ordered to pay $1,200 in restitution to Caffé D’Arte for the money he stole, and $23,929 to the Anchorage Police Department for the repair work that was necessary to restore two police vehicles to service. 

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 Kimberly Sayers-Fay.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Yako Miska Andrew, 28, of Anchorage, has been charged for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.  The charge is a result of last week’s undercover “stolen vehicle sweep” conducted by APD, with the assistance of other state and federal law enforcement agencies.   

According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 3, 2018, APD officers identified two suspected stolen vehicles located in a parking lot on 5th Avenue in Anchorage.  While attempting to contact the occupants of the vehicles, an individual later identified as Yako Andrew, immediately fled on foot from one of the vehicles and was seen with a pistol in his hand.  During the foot pursuit, Andrew discarded the pistol and was apprehended by APD officers at the scene.  The recovered firearm was a Glock semi-automatic pistol.  When interviewed by law enforcement, Andrew stated that he found the firearm and that it had been in his possession for approximately four days. 

If Andrew is convicted, the crime of felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  Andrew has two previous felony convictions with the State of Alaska, including one for Vehicle Theft, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. 

The Anchorage Police Department (APD), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh.

This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

A criminal 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, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that an Alaskan couple were sentenced today in Juneau for willfully failing to pay their individual income taxes, and instead prioritized spending money on traveling and gambling.

Archie W. Demmert III, 58, and Roseann L. Demmert, 61, both of Klawock, Alaska, were sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to each serve 12 months, plus one day, in federal prison on two counts of willful failure to pay income tax.  As part of their plea agreements, the Demmerts will pay restitution to the IRS for the calendar years charged covering 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. 

Archie Demmert and Roseann Demmert both had commercial fishing permits for herring spawn on kelp, and Archie had an additional commercial fishing permit for a salmon purse seine.  In May 2018, the Demmerts admitted in court that they earned income from commercial fishing for over a decade, from 2006 to 2014, but willfully chose not to pay over $300,000 in income taxes, excluding penalties and interest. 

According to court documents, the Demmerts have a long history, dating back to at least 1994, of avoiding the majority of their taxpayer obligations.  Even after the charges were filed in 2017, the Demmerts have not made any payments toward their taxes to the present day.  Throughout the decades while the Demmerts have avoided collection of their taxes, they had the means to pay their taxes but they willfully chose not to do so.  Instead, they spent their money on travel and gambling at casinos.

For example, in November 2012, Roseann Demmert cashed out over $20,000 from the Cache Creek Casino, but two days later told the IRS they could not make any tax payments.  In 2012, the Demmerts took two trips to California wine country, spending thousands of dollars on their trips instead of paying their taxes.  In 2013, the Demmerts agreed to settle their tax liabilities by paying $80,000; but then Archie Demmert withdrew $84,000 from their bank account and then told the IRS they had no ability to pay.  Shortly after the cash withdrawals by Archie Demmert, the Demmerts were back gambling at casinos in Las Vegas and Washington, despite telling the IRS they had no way of paying their tax debt.  In April 2014, the IRS made a demand for full payment of taxes and penalties not paid by the Demmerts; however, over the next six months, the Demmerts spent approximately $56,000 on travel, entertainment, casinos and paying their credit cards bills.  Over the next few years, this pattern of not paying taxes but frequenting casinos continued until the court prohibited the Demmerts from going to casinos at the Change of Plea Hearing held in May 2018.

IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Steward and Trial Attorney Lori Hendrickson of the Tax Division.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that two Alaska residents have been sentenced to federal prison for attempting to smuggle drugs into the State of Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) Mat-Su Pretrial Correctional Facility (Mat-Su Pretrial) in Palmer. 

Joshua Jacob Reed, 31, an inmate at Mat-Su Pretrial at the time of the offense, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve 33 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for attempting to possess contraband in prison.  Reed’s federal prison sentence is to be served consecutively to the state sentence he is currently serving for trying to smuggle drugs into another DOC facility in 2016.  Reed is a four-time felon, and has 14 prior convictions in all.

Reed’s then-girlfriend and co-defendant Olivia Danielle Blake, 27, of Wasilla, was sentenced by Chief Judge Burgess on Sept. 24, 2018, to serve five months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a controlled substance.  Blake had no criminal history prior to this offense.

According to court documents, on Feb. 28, 2017, Blake attempted to pass drugs to Reed, who was an inmate at Mat-Su Pretrial at the time.  Blake did so at Reed’s direction on the morning that Reed was to stand trial in State of Alaska v. Reed, 3PA-16-824CR, for attempting to smuggle drugs into DOC’s Goose Creek Correctional Center when he was incarcerated there in January 2016.  Trial in that case was set to begin the morning of Feb. 28, 2017.  The day before, Reed spoke with Blake and directed her to buy him clothes to wear in court during his trial.  In coded language, Reed told Blake to hide drugs inside the shoes she brought him, and to deliver the items to Mat-Su Pretrial the following morning. 

On the morning of Feb. 28, 2017, Blake arrived at Mat-Su Pretrial and dropped off a bag for Reed, which contained a pair of shoes, clothes, and a Walmart receipt showing the items purchased at 4:30 a.m. that morning.  When Mat-Su Pretrial personnel searched the bag before passing it to Reed, they detected the odor of glue in the shoes and subsequently discovered the drugs.  In all, DOC personnel found and seized the following hidden beneath the left shoe’s insole: (1) 2.6 grams of methamphetamine, (2) 0.41 grams of heroin, and (3) a quantity of Buprenorphine, which is one of the narcotic drugs in Suboxone.

In imposing sentence as to Reed, Chief Judge Burgess recognized how “very dangerous” the presence of drugs in our prison system is and the seriousness of the offenses committed by Reed and Blake.    

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation, with assistance from DOC and the Alaska State Troopers (AST), leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea W. Hattan.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that an Anchorage man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in three separate bank robberies of the same Wells Fargo branch on Debarr Road, occurring on July 7, 2017; April 3, 2018; and April 16, 2018.  

Christopher Hatting, 38, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, to serve four years in prison for each bank robbery, to be served concurrently, followed by five years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty as charged to three counts of bank robbery.  Hatting’s co-defendants from the April 3, 2018, robbery were sentenced last week.  Bethany McKeel, 31, of Anchorage, was also sentenced to serve four years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to one count of bank robbery.  Derrick Moore, 29, of Anchorage, was sentenced to serve 56 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to one count of bank robbery.

According to court documents, on April 3, 2018, Hatting, Moore, and McKeel drove together to the Wells Fargo branch on Debarr Road in a GMC Yukon SUV.  As McKeel parked and waited at a nearby cul-de-sac, Moore and Hatting ran inside the bank.  Hatting, wearing a camouflaged jacket, entered the bank wielding a realistic air-pistol, with Moore, who was wearing a dark jacket and holding a bag.  The two stole approximately $15,316 from several teller stations by threatening tellers and clientele with the pistol wielded by Hatting, while Moore went from teller to teller collecting the stolen money into his bag.  Hatting and Moore then rejoined McKeel in the Yukon and left the area.  The three then abandoned the vehicle, which was discovered the following day by APD officers.  The vehicle was found to contain evidence linking the three to the bank robbery, including the jackets they wore, the air-pistol, and a credit card in Hatting’s name.

McKeel and Moore were arrested on April 25, 2018, and Hatting was ultimately arrested on May 15, 2018, while hiding in a secluded property in Eagle River.  After Hatting was arrested for his role in the April 3, 2018, bank robbery, it was revealed that that he was responsible, along with other individuals, for two other robberies of the same Wells Fargo branch location – one committed the previous year on July 7, 2017, and the other committed on April 16, 2018. 

Specifically, on July 7, 2017, Hatting was driven to the Wells Fargo branch by another co-conspirator, who waited in the parked car in a nearby cul-de-sac.  Hatting applied makeup on his face and put cotton balls in his cheeks in an attempt to disguise himself.  Both the makeup and cotton balls had been shoplifted by Hatting shortly before the bank robbery.  Once he entered the bank, Hatting approached a teller with a note demanding money, which he had created from letters cut out of a magazine.  Hatting stole approximately $3,000 from the teller before exiting the bank and rejoining his co-conspirator.  On April 16, 2018, Hatting again entered the same Wells Fargo branch, by himself, masked, and holding what appeared to be a pistol.  He stole approximately $4,101 before leaving the area with a co-conspirator. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $223,092 for the Anchorage School District in Alaska.

These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.

“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”

“We all have a responsibility to protect the children in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder.  “While taking law enforcement action against violent offenders is part of that responsibility, making our schools safer is also vital.  With these grants, specifically the grant to the Anchorage School District, the Department of Justice is helping to safeguard the youth of Alaska.”

The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.

• BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
   
• The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
   
• The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.

The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.

The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program.  These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system.  This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.

The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.  

For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov. 

NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program

One year ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Sessions has made the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy.  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.

Throughout the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs.  I have empowered our United States Attorneys to focus enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals in their districts, and directed that they work together with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners to develop tailored solutions to the unique violent crime problems they face.  Each United States Attorney has prioritized the PSN program, and I am confident that it will continue to reduce crime, save lives, and restore safety to our communities.”  

“In Alaska, law enforcement agencies have a long history and tradition of working together to protect the people of the state,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder.  Under Project Safe Neighborhoods, we are leveraging that cooperation to identify the most serious violent crime problems and offenders, then focus our operations.  I am also pleased that Project Safe Neighborhoods has provided us with additional needed resources, including two new prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office here in Alaska.”

As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions over the past year:

Enforcement Actions

In October 2017, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced its statewide Anti-Violent Crime Strategy, which brings together municipal, state, and federal law enforcement to combat the tide of rising crime in Alaska.  Some representative cases include:

• U.S. v. Macauther Vaifanua et al.  In September 2018, five Anchorage residents were indicted on federal kidnapping and drug trafficking charges, among other offenses, in connection with the August 2017 beating and placing of a victim into a dog kennel. 
• U.S. v. Michael Sampo.  In June 2018, Sampo was sentenced to serve 12 years in federal prison after being convicted of carjacking in Anchorage.  At the time of the offense, Sampo was a four-time prior felon.
• U.S. v. Matthew Scharber. In July 2018, Scharber was sentenced in federal court to serve a life term in prison after being convicted of multiple charges related to the October 2016 kidnapping, carjacking, and shooting of two individuals.  Scharber also received an additional 10 years in prison on the firearms offense. 
• U.S. v. Twigg and Conangnan.  This case charged the defendants with interfering with commerce by robbery of two coffee stands on Sept. 25, 2017, as well as using a firearm in furtherance of these crimes.  Defendant Shane Twigg has seven prior felonies and had a pending assault case when the robberies occurred. Myles Conangnan has a prior felony for Burglary, as well as 16 other convictions, including six convictions from four separate cases in 2017 alone.  Both defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 32 years in federal prison if they are convicted.

Community Partnerships

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with its local, state, and federal partners, has continued to organize events at secondary schools all over Alaska to discuss the dangers of opioid abuse.  This program, based on the DEA/FBI-produced documentary called “Chasing the Dragon,” will continue this year, as federal prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and medical professionals will join together to discuss their experience with the opioid epidemic.

• In the last year, six Anchorage area schools have hosted “Chasing the Dragon” presentations, reaching over 3,200 students; more school outreach is planned throughout the state in the coming year.     
• The U.S. Attorney’s Office has participated in faith - based community events, such as the Alaska Churches of God in Christ (COGIC) Crime Reduction Town Hall Forum, and a “Chasing the Dragon” opioid education event.  
• The U.S. Attorney’s Office partnered with Anchorage Opioid Task Force in building Naloxone kits for distribution throughout the state and participated in recovery month events. 

Improvements to Community Safety

• The FBI’s official crime data for 2017 reflects that, after two consecutive, historic increases in violent crime, in the first year of the Trump Administration the nationwide violent crime rate began to decline.  The nationwide violent crime rate decreased by approximately one percent in 2017, while the nationwide homicide rate decreased by nearly one and a half percent.
• The preliminary information we have for 2018 gives us reason for optimism that our efforts are continuing to pay off.  Public data from 60 major cities show that violent crime was down by nearly five percent in those cities in the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period a year ago.

These enforcement actions and partnerships are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.