District of Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Arizona man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and three years’ supervised release for supplying hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to Alaska over multiple months.

According to court documents, Odarious Shaw, 25, distributed fentanyl pills to Alaska twice a week for over six months in quantities of 40-50,000 pills per shipment. In some instances, the defendant would ship as many as 500,000 pills at a time.

Law enforcement learned that Shaw would obtain pills in Arizona and instruct buyers in Alaska to send him $150 via a money transferring service to confirm the transaction. He would then provide a date when a courier would arrive on a commercial flight at the Anchorage airport with the drugs in their checked luggage. Upon arrival, the courier would deliver the pills to the buyer, pick up the cash payment for the drugs and immediately board a flight back to Arizona to deliver the money to Shaw.

On June 25, 2023, Shaw’s courier and codefendant, Corrion James, 26, arrived at the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage on a flight from Phoenix, Arizona, with a package containing over 41,000 fentanyl pills. James was arrested at the airport after attempting to sell the pills to the arranged buyer. Those pills had an estimated street value of $400-600,000 in Anchorage, and as much as $4.8 million in rural Alaska.

Shaw continued to try to sell drugs in Alaska after James was arrested but was subsequently arrested in Arizona in August 2023. James pleaded guilty in February 2024 and was sentenced to over three years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.

At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason found that Shaw was a leader or organizer of the drug trafficking activity in this case and said that she hopes this sentence deters people motivated by greed from trafficking this deadly drug to Alaska.

“A single pill can destroy someone’s life and the amount of fentanyl Mr. Shaw supplied to Alaska could destroy entire communities,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Illegal fentanyl has absolutely no place here. My office will continue to hinder the inflow of illegal fentanyl into our state by working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the supply and distribution of this poisonous drug.”

“During the course of this investigation, the FBI and our law enforcement partners intercepted tens of thousands of illicit fentanyl pills before reaching local Alaska communities, preventing untold violence and devastation,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “With a task force approach, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable those who are fueling drug trafficking activities in Alaska.”

The Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department and the FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case as part of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Alaska High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiative.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Schroeder prosecuted the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned a superseding indictment adding new charges against the leader and a high-ranking member of a large-scale organized drug crime ring operating in Alaska.

In January, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Alaska announced charges against 53 defendants allegedly connected to the drug trafficking enterprise. Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine, continuing criminal enterprise, killing in furtherance of a continuing criminal enterprise, kidnapping conspiracy, kidnapping resulting in death and carjacking resulting in death, were among the original charges against leaders, members and associates of the organization.

According to court documents, Heraclio Sanchez-Rodriguez, 57, is allegedly the leader of the transnational organized crime and drug trafficking ring targeting Alaska. Tamara Bren, 41, is a high-ranking member known as one of his “wives.” Per the new charges, from August 2022 to September 2023, Bren and Sanchez-Rodriguez allegedly conspired to launder money by directing members of the enterprise to use money transferring services, like wire transfers, mobile applications and money orders, to attempt to launder over $1.3 million in drug proceeds.

Court documents also charge Sanchez-Rodriguez with allegedly altering and falsifying investigative reports by the DEA, FBI, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, to impede, obstruct and influence the investigation on Dec. 20, 2023.

According to the superseding indictment, law enforcement has seized over 92 kilograms of fentanyl, 26 kilograms of meth, 11 kilograms of heroin and 110 grams of cocaine in connection to this enterprise.

In addition to the original charges, Sanchez-Rodriguez and Bren are charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1956(h), and Sanchez-Rodriguez is charged with one count of obstruction of justice in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1519.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Zahn of the Drug Enforcement Administration Anchorage District Office, Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division, Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office, FBI Anchorage Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, Homeland Security Investigations Anchorage, Alaska Office, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department and Palmer Police Department, with significant law enforcement support from the U.S. Marshals Service, are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan Collins, Christopher Schroeder, Karen Vandergaw and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case.

This investigation and prosecution are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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JUNEAU, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a South African man with assaulting three people with medical scissors while aboard a cruise ship.

According to court documents, on May 6, 2024, Ntando Sogoni, 35, was allegedly discovered trying to deploy a lifeboat and was taken to the ship’s medical area for an evaluation.

During his evaluation, he began struggling with a nurse and security guard and fled to another examination room, where he assaulted a female victim, who is a U.S. citizen. He stabbed her with trauma scissors multiple times in the chest, arms and head, causing serious bodily harm. He proceeded to attack two security guards, stabbing one guard, a national of the Philippines, in the head, and stabbing the other guard, a national of Nepal, in the spine.

He was detained and held in the ship’s jail until arriving in Juneau on May 7, where he was charged by complaint and arrested by the FBI.

At the time of the assault, the ship was on the high seas and within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the U.S., and on a voyage with a scheduled departure from or arrival in the U.S.

Sogoni is charged with one count assault with intent to murder in violation of 18 U.S.C. §7(1), (7) and (8) and 113(a)(1), three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in violation of 18 U.S.C. §7(1), (7) and (8) and 113(a)(3), and three counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in violation of 18 U.S.C. §7(1), (7) and (8) and 113(a)(6), The defendant made his initial court appearance on May 9 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the one count of assault with intent to murder and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the other five assault counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day with the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Supervisory Special Agent Brett Durham of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Resident Agency Juneau and Resident Unit Anchorage made the announcement.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and FBI Juneau Resident Agency, and the CGIS Resident Agency Juneau are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Minnesota man was sentenced today to five years’ probation for assaulting a flight attendant and interfering with a flight crew’s normal duties.

According to court documents, on June 24, 2023, Christian Burch, 38, went into the bathroom while he was aboard a flight from Minneapolis to Anchorage. Flight attendants heard a scream coming from the bathroom and tried knocking on the door multiple times. The defendant slammed the door open and walked up the aisleway, appearing shaky and confused.

After being questioned by another flight attendant, Burch became unresponsive. A registered nurse aboard the flight examined the defendant and suspected he was overdosing. The flight attendants and a male passenger assisted the nurse is administering a dosage of Narcan, but Burch began to violently struggle when the Narcan was inserted into his nose. The flight attendants and multiple passengers were involved in the struggle, and at one point, Burch grabbed one of the flight attendants near her throat. Burch was also bleeding from his nose and mouth during the altercation, causing multiple passengers and flight attendants to come in contact with his blood.

The nurse was able to administer two doses of Narcan during the altercation and Burch was restrained in one of the cabin seats for the remainder of the flight. Due to Burch’s actions, the flight crew had to stop performing their normal duties to remedy the situation and update the pilots.

Burch was arrested once the plane landed in Anchorage and served six days in federal custody before being released. Upon his return to Minnesota, he was arrested and held in state custody for 72 days for violating his state parole by leaving the state without permission. Burch pleaded guilty in December 2023 but was arrested in March 2024 for violating his pretrial release and has remained in custody since, serving 66 days total in federal custody.

“Air travel is a necessity for many Alaskans and tourists, and all who use or work on this mode of transportation should feel safe while aboard an aircraft,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “This case serves as a reminder that we will prosecute anyone who chooses to commit such actions while in our district.”

“Criminal conduct aboard an aircraft, such as interference with a flight crew, jeopardizes the safety of all passengers and is a federal crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI is committed to investigating federal crimes occurring on commercial aircraft, and holding accountable those that endanger the safety of passengers and flight crews.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Anchorage Airport Police Department, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Schroeder prosecuted the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced yesterday to 11 years in prison and four years’ supervised release for possessing firearms as a felon and possessing drugs with an intent to distribute them.

According to court documents, on Jan. 28, 2021, law enforcement found Joseph Franks, 42, asleep in a running tow truck along a road in Big Lake. Franks had an active warrant for his arrest and was asked to step out of the vehicle. Upon his arrest, law enforcement found a loaded pistol magazine on his person. They obtained a search warrant for the tow truck and found a backpack containing two stolen pistols, six pistol magazines and over 300 grams of marijuana, among other items, and a safe containing over 60 grams of heroin and paraphernalia commonly used for drug distribution.

Less than a week later, law enforcement attempted to stop a vehicle in Wasilla, but the vehicle fled, leading to a high-speed chase for several miles. Spike stripes were deployed, causing the vehicle to crash, but the driver, later determined to be Franks, broke the driver’s side window and fled from the vehicle on foot. Franks was apprehended by a K9 and law enforcement found $1,770 in cash and a small container with cocaine on his person, and $3,550 in cash, over 61 grams of marijuana, over 35 grams of meth, over 85 grams of heroin, and small amounts of psilocybin and cocaine inside a locked duffle back in the vehicle’s trunk.

“Mr. Franks repeatedly disregarded the law and endangered the community with his criminal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice against defendants who choose to commit criminal acts, especially activity that puts our communities at risk like firearm and drug trafficking offenses.”

“The defendant continued to plague our community with serious crimes involving drugs, stolen firearms, and reckless flight from law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This sentence, stemming from a joint investigation with the Alaska State Troopers, exemplifies our shared commitment in keeping our communities safe.”

“The sentence handed down in this prosecution is a significant victory in the Alaska State Trooper’s fight against drug trafficking occurring across the State of Alaska,” said Captain Cornelius Sims, Captain of the Alaska State Trooper’s Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit. “The Alaska State Troopers will continue to work tirelessly with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to interrupt drug trafficking in Alaska and hold those that peddle these dangerous drugs accountable for their actions.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Troopers investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Ivers and Alana Weber prosecuted the case.

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JUNEAU, Alaska – A South African man was arrested by the FBI today on criminal charges after disembarking a cruise ship in Juneau for allegedly stabbing multiple people with medical scissors while aboard the ship.

According to court documents, on May 6, 2024, Ntando Sogoni, 35, was working on the cruise ship when other ship employees observed the defendant attempting to deploy a lifeboat. Sogoni was contacted by ship security and escorted to the ship’s medical center for an assessment.

Upon arrival, Sogoni physically attacked a security guard and a male nurse inside an examination room and proceeded to enter another examination room where a woman, who is a U.S. citizen, was being examined. He grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed the woman multiple times in the arm, hand and face. He also stabbed two security guards who intervened—one in the head and one in the back and shoulders. Sogoni was detained and held in the ship’s jail prior to his arrest.

Sogoni is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon within maritime and territorial jurisdiction in violation of 18 U.S.C. §113(a)(3). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and FBI Juneau Resident Agency, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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WASHINGTON – The Justice Department joins its partners across the federal government, as well as people throughout Alaska Native and American Indian communities, in recognizing May 5 as National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day. 

In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and other pressing public safety challenges, like the fentanyl crisis, in Tribal communities.

“There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. This day challenges all of us at the Justice Department to double down on our efforts, and to be true partners with Tribal communities as we seek to end this crisis.”

Justice Department Prioritization of MMIP Cases

Last July, the Justice Department announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions. 

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska is pleased to announce that Ingrid Goodyear was appointed as the permanent MMIP Coordinator for the Great Plains Region, with includes Alaska, on April 5, 2024, after serving nearly four years as the contracted MMIP coordinator for Alaska. Since her initial appointment in July 2020, she has worked collaboratively with Federal, State, local and Tribal law enforcement, victim services and Tribal agencies to address MMIP in Alaska. For MMIP Awareness Day, Mrs. Goodyear will be joining the Nome community for an awareness walk and speaking event on May 5.

Most recently, Mrs. Goodyear supported the Tanana Chiefs Conference and Fairbanks Native Association in developing and adopting the First Urban MMIP Tribal Community Response Plan (TCRP) for the Fairbanks and TCC region, which provides a unified plan to prevent and respond to MMIP situations for the region’s 39 villages. For roughly four years, Mrs. Goodyear has also worked with partners to create a multidisciplinary working group in Alaska solely focused on working collaboratively to address the MMIP issue through trainings, education and consultations in all regions of the state. 

The district also recently hired three Tribal Assistant U.S. Attorneys who will focus solely on prosecuting cases in rural Alaska that address public safety threats impacting rural villages, including drug trafficking or firearm offenses. In January, the district announced that 53 people were charged following an investigation by a multi-jurisdictional task force into a transnational organized crime ring that targeted Alaska, allegedly trafficking kilograms of deadly drugs, including fentanyl, to rural Alaska Native communities and villages like Goodnews Bay and Tyonek, two communities with populations of under 200 people. 

“Mrs. Goodyear’s permanent appointment and the hiring of our new Tribal AUSAs are additional steps in my office’s unwavering commitment to address MMIP and violent crime in Alaska,” said U.S. Attorney Tucker. “In the over three years that Mrs. Goodyear has been with our office as the district MMIP coordinator, she has had a tremendous impact on bringing partners and communities together to have crucial conversations about an issue that is gripping our state. Moving forward, we are excited to have our full team of dedicated professionals working toward progress for MMIP and Tribal justice in Alaska.”

The MMIP Regional Outreach Program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to U.S. Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People, and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022. 

Not Invisible Act Commission Response

The Department’s work to respond to the MMIP crisis is a whole-of-department effort. In March, the Departments of Justice and the Interior released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The NIAC response, announced by Attorney General Garland during a visit to the Crow Nation, recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States. 

Addressing Violent Crime and the Fentanyl Crisis in Indian Country

As noted in the joint response to the NIAC, research suggests that certain public safety challenges faced by many American Indian and Alaska Native communities—including disproportionate violence against women, families, and children; substance abuse; drug trafficking; and labor and sex trafficking—can influence the rates of missing AI/AN persons.

Further, fentanyl poisoning and overdose deaths are the leading cause of opioid deaths throughout the United States, including Indian county, where drug-related overdose death rates for Native Americans exceeds the national rate.

Therefore, federal law enforcement components are ramping up efforts to forge stronger partnerships with federal and Tribal law enforcement partners to address violent crime and the fentanyl crisis, which exposes already vulnerable communities to greater harm. 

Accessing Department of Justice Resources

Over the past year, the Department awarded $268 million in grants to help enhance Tribal justice systems and strengthen law enforcement responses. These awards have also gone toward improving the handling of child abuse cases, combating domestic and sexual violence, supporting Tribal youth programs, and strengthening victim services in Tribal communities.

For additional information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website.

Click here for more information about reporting or identifying missing persons.

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FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Delta Junction man was sentenced today to two years in prison and is required to pay over $580,000 in restitution for running a years’ long scheme to defraud nearly two-dozen investors out of over $600,000.

According to court documents, from January 2017 to January 2020, Brian Corty, 53, was the organizer and manager of a conspiracy to use false and fraudulent claims to gain investments for a potential business and use the investments for personal gain. As part of the scheme, Corty sold investors units in Ice Fog Holdings LLC to raise capital for a “Bud and Breakfast” which was described as a marijuana theme park, where they would grow, cultivate and sell marijuana, and allow customers to use marijuana on site.

Corty purchased a building on the Richardson Highway near Salcha, Alaska, as the proposed location of the business. Corty falsely told investors that they were already growing marijuana and generating income and that the business would make millions of dollars in annual sales. Based on these misrepresentations, at least 22 people invested over $600,000 into the fraudulent scheme and the defendant used the money for personal gain, including to refinance his home and pay off debt.

Corty pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Corty is also required to serve three years’ supervised release as part of his sentence.

“Mr. Corty manipulated unknowing investors by promising millions in proceeds and used their money for his personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Ensuring that white collar criminals, like Mr. Corty, are held accountable is a priority for my office. No one is above the law. We will continue work with our law enforcement partners to pursue prosecutions against individuals who choose to exploit unknowing victims through fraudulent means.”

“Mr. Corty lured investors with promises of prosperity and guaranteed returns, when in truth, he diverted the investor money to fund his own lifestyle,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Those who engage in fraudulent schemes at the expense of others will be investigated and held accountable.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office, Fairbanks Resident Agency, with assistance from the Alaska Department of Law, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bradley and Ryan Tansey prosecuted the case.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Eagle River man was charged last week with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, in October 2023, Kyle Reynolds, 27, allegedly possessed a firearm during a domestic violence assault. At the time of the alleged event, Reynolds had a prior felony conviction for assault and failing to stop at the direction of a peace officer resulting in serious injury.

Reynolds is charged with 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) in violation of being a felon in possession of firearms. If convicted, Reynolds faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Anchorage Police Department (APD) Chief Designee Bianca Cross and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais made the announcement.

APD and ATF Anchorage Field Office are investigating the case. If anyone has any information related to Reynolds’s possession of firearms, suppressors or other activities, please submit an online police report with APD at www.anchoragepolice.com/file-a-police-report or submit a tip to the ATF at www.atf.gov/atf-tips.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Alexander and Christina Sherman are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse materials.

According to court documents, Australian law enforcement discovered Michael Whitmore, 31, was distributing child sexual abuse images on an encrypted social media application. Australian law enforcement referred the case to the FBI and Anchorage Police Department.

U.S. law enforcement determined that Whitmore had also been the unidentified subject of National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Cybertips related to distribution of images depicting violent child sexual exploitation.

In March 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Whitmore’s residence and discovered over 4,100 images and 2,200 videos on his devices, with some visuals depicting prepubescent minors. The investigation determined that Whitmore was an active member of at least 82 messaging groups used to exchange child sexual abuse materials on various applications.

Whitmore was arrested in March 2021 and pleaded guilty in August 2022.

In imposing the sentence, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sharon L. Gleason noted the sadistic nature of the images and videos, sophisticated computer use and active participation of the defendant, and noted that she hopes this case deters other individuals who have no criminal history from partaking in possessing or distributing child sexual abuse materials.

“Mr. Whitmore contributed to the plague of revictimization that possessing and distributing child sexual abuse materials causes to innocent victims across the country and the world,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office remains steadfast in our commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our most vulnerable community members and ensure that perpetrators who choose to victimize children are brought to justice.”

“Mr. Whitmore callously collected and shared child exploitation material depicting the horrific abuse of very young children,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI and our local and international law enforcement partners will continue to identify and hold accountable those who contribute to these online crimes against children.”

“Committing a crime against a child is a horrifying act.  The case against Michael Whitmore is one of the more gruesome we’ve seen due to the ages of the victims involved and the sheer volume of material in Whitmore’s possession that he not only consumed but shared with other like-minded offenders,” stated APD Chief Michael Kerle.  “Every time Whitmore passed along images, he revictimized the very people whom adults are supposed to protect.  We are grateful for the partnership we have with the FBI. With our combined investigative efforts, the perpetrator will be held accountable for his criminal behavior.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department, with assistance from Australian Law Enforcement, investigated the case as part of the FBI’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man pleaded guilty today to attempting to coerce and entice a minor in 2023.

According to court documents, in July 2023, Benjamin Roundy, aka “Aleks” or “Alekzander Marko,” 42, began communicating with an individual he believed was a 13-year-old girl on an online platform, but who was in fact an FBI agent acting in an undercover capacity. Between July 7 and Aug. 4, the defendant discussed multiple topics with the individual, including directions to send sexually explicit content, requests to meet in person and what sexual actions would happen if they met in person.

The defendant arranged to meet in person on Aug. 4 and was subsequently arrested by law enforcement when he attempted to do so.

Following his arrest, law enforcement discovered over 5,500 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse on Roundy’s devices. The investigation also revealed that in July 2017, Roundy uploaded videos depicting child sexual abuse to an online platform.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on a later date and faces a sentencing range of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case. If anyone has any information concerning Roundy’s actions or may have encountered someone using the name “Aleks” or “Alekzander Marko” in person, via text message on an online messaging app, please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at (907) 276-4441 or anonymously at tips.fbi.gov.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander of the District of Alaska and Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging the owner and captains of two crab catcher vessels with illegally transporting crab from Alaska, in violation of the Lacey Act.

According to court documents, Corey Potter is the owner of the two crab catching vessels, and Justin Welch and Kyle Potter are the captains of the vessels. In February and March 2024, the vessels harvested over 7,000 pounds of Tanner and golden king crab in Southeast Alaska. Corey Potter allegedly directed Kyle Potter and Justin Welch to take the crab to Seattle, Washington, where they intended to sell it at a higher price than they would have in Alaska. Neither captain landed the harvested crab at a port in Alaska and the harvest was never recorded on a fish ticket, which is a requirement under state law.

The crab was allegedly taken through Canadian and Washington waters. Upon arrival in Washington, a large portion of the king crab was deceased and unmarketable. Corey Potter allegedly acknowledged that some of the crab aboard was infected with Bitter Crab Syndrome (BCS), a parasitic disease that is fatal to crustaceans. Over 4,000 additional pounds of Tanner crab were destroyed due to the risk of BCS infection. Court documents allege that had the crab been properly landed in Alaska, the harvest would have been inspected and infected crab would have been sorted out and disposed of before leaving Alaska.

Corey Potter is charged with two counts of unlawful transportation of fish or wildlife in violation of 16 U.S.C. 3372(a)(2)(A) and 3373(d)(1)(B), and Justin Welch and Kyle Potter are both charged with one count of the same violation. The defendants will make their initial court appearance on May 2 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a $20,000 fine per count.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Assistant Director Benjamin Cheeseman with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.

NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A federal jury convicted a California drug dealer late Friday for his connection to the fatal fentanyl overdose of a Fairbanks man.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Junior Gafatasi Tulali, 48, was the original source of fentanyl pills that were sold to a Fairbanks man who died of a fentanyl overdose in October 2020.

Around Oct. 13, 2020, Tulali agreed to sell 500 Oxycodone M30 pills to a dealer in Fairbanks, when in fact, they were counterfeit pills laced with deadly fentanyl. The pills were shipped from California and arrived in Fairbanks on Oct. 17, 2020. The individual who retrieved the shipment distributed the counterfeit pills to several other dealers in the area. On Oct. 26, 2020, the victim purchased two pills from the shipment and was found dead in his home on Oct. 28, 2020. Medical examiners determined cause of death was acute toxic effects of fentanyl.

Evidence presented at trial connected two additional non-fatal fentanyl overdoses to Tulali’s shipment of counterfeit pills. Both of the dealers in Fairbanks who were involved in selling the fentanyl pills to the victim were convicted for their role in this offense in 2022.

“Fentanyl is poison and has killed too many Alaskans,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker. “The successful conviction of Mr. Tulali highlights my office’s vow to prioritize working with law enforcement to keep fentanyl out of our communities and prosecute those who cause irreparable damage by trafficking it to our state from Outside.”

“Mr. Tulali’s actions clearly demonstrated the grievous threat that fentanyl traffickers pose to our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Fentanyl traffickers have caused the deaths of far too many Alaskans and hopefully the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners in achieving this conviction will slow the deadly fentanyl trade in our community.”

“I am very proud of the role that Fairbanks Police officers played in helping the victims in this case find justice. The impressive collaboration between law enforcement agencies to hold this criminal accountable proves that we will do whatever is necessary to prevent criminal enterprises from gaining a foothold in our community,” said Chief Ron Dupee of the Fairbanks Police Department.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Fairbanks Police Department, with assistance from the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Troopers, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Vosacek and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a South African national with unlawfully procuring naturalization in the U.S.

According to court documents, between June and September 2019, Brian Smith, 52, applied for and obtained naturalization in the U.S. by making false statements in connection to his naturalization application.

Smith allegedly falsely responded to questions asking whether he had been involved in killing, badly hurting or sexually assaulting someone and if he had ever committed, assisted in committing or attempted to commit a crime he was not arrested for. Smith answered “No” to all these questions, when at the time of the application, he had committed related crimes, including two murders that involved torture and sexual assaults. Smith was convicted of these crimes in February 2024 in the Superior Court for the State of Alaska.

Smith is charged with one count of unlawful procurement of naturalization in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1425(a) and one count of unlawful procurement of naturalization by an ineligible person in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1425(b). The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces the revocation of his certificate of naturalization.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in the Pacific Northwest Region, made the announcement.

HSI Pacific Northwest Region is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody Tirpak is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Fairbanks man with stealing multiple guns from a local firearm dealer.

According to court documents, on March 10, 2024, Darel Puller, 25, stole 22 firearms from a local gun store in Fairbanks. Twenty-one of those firearms were part of the business inventory, as reflected in count one of the indictment. One firearm belonged to the store’s owner that was not part of the businesses inventory, as reflected in count two of the indictment.

The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Chief Ron Dupee of the Fairbanks Police Department made the announcement.

The Fairbanks Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Anchorage Field Office and Seattle Field Division are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mac Caille Petursson and Carly Vosacek are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Texas man was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and three years’ supervised release for trafficking more than 21 kilograms of the drug known as Spice from Texas to Alaska.

“Spice” is a generic term for synthetic cannabinoids, which are mind-altering chemicals that are formed by dissolving psychotropic drugs in acetone and spraying them on dried plant material.

According to court documents, between 2020 and 2022, law enforcement officers intercepted over 21 kilograms of Spice that Jacob Trujillo, 36, of San Antonio, shipped through the mail to local distributors in Alaska.

Trujillo also laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in two separate bank accounts between January 2020 and October 2021.

“Starting in 2015, Spice was flooding the streets of Anchorage, resulting in an influx of medical emergency response calls related to Spice use and six fatal overdoses outside the Brother Francis Shelter,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “This sentence represents one of the final pieces in a joint effort to get Spice off our streets and bring justice to the culprits who brought it to our great state.”

“The Drug Enforcement Administration works everyday with our partners to ensure Alaska is safe from those who seek to target the vulnerable for profit,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence that Mr. Trujillo received for harming our community serves as a reminder of the seriousness with which we all take this threat.”

“Alaskans have seen first-hand the harm that synthetic cannabinoids, or “Spice,” has caused to our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI), Seattle Field Office. “Mr. Trujillo is facing the consequences of his actions, and his sentencing is evidence of IRS:CI’s commitment to keeping harmful and illegal drugs off our streets.”

The DEA Anchorage Field Office and Seattle Division Office, and IRS:CI Seattle Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Schroeder prosecuted the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Sterling businessman with wire fraud involving Covid-19 relief funds.

According to court documents, Kent Tompkins, 55, made false statements about his criminal history on Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications for his business, J & B Construction. In 2018, the defendant was indicted on multiple felony grand theft charges in South Dakota and was convicted in August 2020.

During the alleged scheme, Tompkins applied for two EIDL loans—one in May 2020 and one in November 2021. On both applications, which were submitted after he had been indicted and arraigned in South Dakota, Tompkins falsely stated that he had not been presently or recently subject to an indictment or arraignment for formal criminal charges. On the second application, Tompkins also provided false information about his prior conviction and probation.

Tompkins allegedly obtained over $95,000 in relief funds through the first loan application and attempted to obtain $276,500 through the second loan application.

Tompkins is charged with wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1343.  The defendant made his initial court appearance on April 17 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Small Business Association Office of Inspector General Western Regional Office and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The Small Business Association Office of Inspector General and FBI Anchorage Field Office are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey is prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage Police Department officer was convicted of 24 criminal counts today for his participation in a scheme to defraud a corporation of millions of dollars.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nathan Michael Keays, 44, was friends with a ConocoPhillips employee, Forrest Wright, 44. The two conspired to use Keays’s foam insulation business, Eco Edge Armoring LLC, to defraud ConocoPhillips by approving contracts for goods and services that were never provided. Over the course of the scheme, Keays and Wright obtained more than $3 million from fraudulent bills. Wright pleaded guilty in March 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2024.

The scheme started in 2019 when Wright was a Senior Drilling and Wells Planner with ConocoPhillips, where he was responsible for ordering materials and labor for drilling and wells projects. Wright had the authority to approve material and labor orders for up to $1 million and was trusted to recommend vendors for supplies.

Keays conspired with Wright to craft fraudulent emails and alter the Eco Edge Armoring LLC website to present the company as a major oil and gas services enterprise, when in fact, it had no employees and no ability to provide goods or services in the oil industry. Wright sent emails from his personal account to Keays’s personal account with instructions to send technical emails to Wright’s business account to establish Eco Edge Armoring LLC as an approved vendor. Wright would then forward these emails to other personnel within ConocoPhillips to ensure Keays’s company was approved as a frequently used vendor.

After achieving the approved vendor status, Keays submitted fraudulent invoices totaling over $3.2 million for materials that did not exist and labor that was never performed. Keays also submitted fraudulent timesheets in the name of nonexistent employees to make it appear that work had actually been performed. Wright used his position in the company to direct personnel to approve the payment of invoices by falsely representing that the nonexistent materials were delivered and accounted for and that the work outlined in the invoices was performed.

Keays received $3,087,720 in electronic payments from ConocoPhillips for the fraudulent material and labor through a bank account for Eco Edge Armoring LLC and split the proceeds with Wright by issuing checks to Spectrum Consulting, a shell entity created by Wright. In total, Keays personally received more than $1.4 million. Keays used his proceeds of the scheme for personal expenses, including paying off loans, purchasing real estate and buying cryptocurrency.  

Keays was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and 11 counts of money laundering.

“This successful conviction represents closure in a complex white-collar crime case and demonstrates that no one is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “To anyone thinking of committing a financial crime, know that my office, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners across the state, will work vigorously to find you and prosecute you to the furthest extent of the law.”

“This verdict demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigate and hold accountable those who engage in fraudulent schemes for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “With special agents, forensic accountants, and prosecutors who specialize in unraveling complex financial crimes, the FBI and our partners will continue to disrupt fraudsters and bring them to justice.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Heyman and James Klugman are prosecuting the case.

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STATESBORO, GA:  A man serving a life term in a Georgia state prison has been indicted on multiple federal charges for constructing and mailing bombs to federal facilities.

David Cassady, 55, an inmate at Phillips State Prison in Buford, Ga., is charged with Making an Unregistered Destructive Device; two counts of Mailing a Destructive Device; and two counts of Attempted Malicious Use of an Explosive, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Protecting our personnel and facilities is a fundamental role of our office and of our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We also will take action against inmates who seek to commit crimes and harm the public from behind bars.”

As described in the indictment returned by the April session of the Grand Jury in the Southern District of Georgia, Cassady was an inmate in the now-closed Georgia State Prison in Reidsville, Ga., in Tattnall County, when he constructed destructive devices and mailed two of them via U.S. Mail to the United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Anchorage, Alaska, and to a federal facility at 1400 New York Avenue NW in Washington, D.C.

The indictment alleges the bombs were sent in an attempt “to maliciously damage or destroy, by means of fire or explosive, a building in whole or in part owned or possessed by, or leased to, the United States,” and “created substantial risk of injury to a person.”

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI Anchorage Office, Homeland Security Investigations Federal Protective Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Georgia Department of Corrections Office of Professional Standards, and Prosecuted for the United States of America by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney L. Alexander Hamner.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Washington man with cyberstalking victims and distributing child sexual abuse materials.

The defendant, Kaden Ollila, 20, of Tacoma, Washington, was arrested on March 21, 2024.

According to court documents, on Jan. 19, 2024, the defendant allegedly distributed child pornography. On Jan. 24 and 25, 2024, Ollila allegedly used a social media platform to send messages to a victim describing his desire to sexually assault her. On Feb. 4 and 5, 2024, Ollila also allegedly used a different social media platform to send a victim unsolicited sexual images of himself and unsolicited images depicting child sexual abuse.

Ollila is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child – distribution of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§2252A(a)(2)(A) and (b)(1), and two counts of cyberstalking in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§2261A(2)B and 2261(b)5. The defendant made his initial court appearance on March 22 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. His appearance before the U.S. District Court in Alaska will be scheduled at a later date. If convicted, he faces a sentence of 5 to 20 years for distribution of child pornography, and up to 5 years on each count of cyberstalking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in the Pacific Northwest Region, made the announcement.

HSI, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers, Nisqually Police Department, Nisqually Tribal Gaming Agency and Washington State Gaming Agency, is investigating the case. If anyone has information concerning Ollila’s alleged actions or may have encountered someone in person or online using the name Kaden Ollila, please contact the HSI tip line at 866-347-2423.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will Taylor and Bill Reed are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for coercing two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct.

According to court documents, in September 2022, Leveron Moore, 40, enticed two minors, aged 15 and 16 at the time, for the purpose of coercive sexual exploitation.

Moore also used his cell phone to produce, attempt to produce and possess photos of sexually explicit conduct involving both minor victims and used an application on his phone to hide the images from law enforcement.

One of the minor victims reported the abuse to a local health official, and Moore was arrested by the FBI in March 2023. Moore had previously been separated from the U.S. Army while stationed at Fort Wainwright in lieu of a court martial after having been charged with the attempted sexual assault of an 18-year-old subordinate in 2016.

The defendant is required to serve 20 years’ supervised release as part of his sentence.

“Mr. Moore deliberately targeted two of Alaska’s most vulnerable community members and will now pay the price for his destructive actions,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “We commend the tremendous bravery of both victims for disclosing Mr. Moore’s heinous conduct to officials. My office stands by our firm commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute any instance of child exploitation.”

“Mr. Moore deliberately exploited and abused minors, the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Vorndran of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work collaboratively with law enforcement partners and service providers to seek justice for these horrific crimes against children.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers and the Fairbanks Police Department, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the

Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage woman was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse materials.

According to court documents, Denali Brehmer, 22, and her co-conspirator Darin Schilmiller, 25, conspired to murder Cynthia Hoffman in June 2019 while Schilmiller was residing in Indiana. While they were conspiring to commit Hoffman’s murder, they also conspired to coerce a minor victim to produce sexually explicit images, which Brehmer took and sent to Schilmiller via text message.

Brehmer and Schilmiller pleaded guilty to production of child pornography in front of the U.S. District Court in July 2023. Schilmiller is awaiting sentencing. Both defendants were sentenced by the State of Alaska to 99 years in prison for their roles in Hoffman’s murder.

In delivering the sentence, the court ordered Brehmer to serve a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and the rest of her life on supervised release.

“The harm Ms. Brehmer has caused to the victims and their families through the course of her conduct is unfathomable,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office will continue our unwavering commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to protect Alaska’s children and seek justice against perpetrators who choose to commit these reprehensible crimes.”

“This sentencing underscores the unrelenting efforts by law enforcement and prosecutors, at every level, to ensure that none of Brehmer’s ruthless crimes went unanswered or unpunished,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Vorndran of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to use every tool available to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who exploit and harm our most vulnerable.”

“Denali Brehmer’s actions are beyond heinous,” said Anchorage Police Chief Michael Kerle.  “Overcoming the trauma the victim suffered due to Brehmer’s actions will be a life-long journey.  This case is an excellent example of why various law enforcement entities working together through the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is so vitally important.  Hopefully today’s sentencing will aid the victim in their healing process.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging an Anchorage man with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

Court documents allege that on Sept. 7, 2023, Christopher Nickalaskey, 32, possessed multiple firearms and ammunition.

According to court documents and a press release from the Anchorage Police Department, on Oct. 1, 2023, Nickalaskey possessed a firearm during an encounter with police. The release alleges Nickalaskey was contacted by police and began to fight officers. During the altercation, Nickalaskey allegedly reached for a gun in his waistband and pulled the trigger, striking himself and an officer in the lower body.

At the time of both alleged events, Nickalaskey was a convicted felon. Nickalaskey was convicted of a drug crime in the Anchorage Superior Court in 2014 and of being a felon in possession of a firearm in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska in 2021.

Nickalaskey is charged with two counts of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Vorndran of the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Chief Michael Kerle of the Anchorage Police Department made the announcement.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Two companies in the Alaska seafood shipping industry recently settled a lawsuit challenging penalties and fines levied by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for violating the Jones Act, a law that requires merchandise be transported by U.S. flagged vessels between U.S. ports.

An exception to the U.S. flagged vessel requirement allows seafood from Alaska to be transported to the mainland U.S. if it travels via Canadian rail.  The companies challenged the penalties and fines in the U.S. District Court of Alaska, saying they did not violate the Jones Act while transporting seafood from Alaska to the mainland U.S. because it was “transported” by Canadian rail.

According to court documents, Kloosterboer International Forwarding LLC (KIF) and Alaska Reefer Management LLC (ARM) arranged transportation and related services to move frozen seafood from Alaska to the East Coast via maritime shipping.  For over a decade, the companies moved seafood from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, to a port in New Brunswick, Canada, on foreign-flagged vessels.  Once in Canada, KIF arranged for the seafood to be offloaded from the vessel onto trucks in the port. The trucks were then driven onto a flatbed rail car on the Bayside Canadian Railway (BCR), a roughly 100-foot length of railroad track located entirely within the Port of Bayside, where they rode the length of the rail and back before being driven off the train cars and proceeding directly to a border crossing in Maine for final transport to the mainland U.S.  The BCR was specifically built and exclusively used to move the seafood in this manner so the companies could claim they met the Canadian rail exception to the Jones Act.

CBP began investigating the companies’ use of foreign-flagged vessels to transport merchandise in this manner, including over the BCR. Investigators determined the companies were in violation of the Jones Act because using the BCR did not meet the Canadian rail exception. CBP issued numerous penalty notices to KIF, and other companies involved in the shipping route, and the companies responded with a lawsuit against the federal government claiming they did not violate the Jones Act and that the penalties were unlawful.

The parties filed for summary judgement in the U.S. District Court of Alaska, and the Court ruled the companies’ utilization of the BCR for part of the transport of seafood from Alaska to the mainland U.S. was unlawful because there was no actual “transportation” of goods on the BCR, which is a requirement to meet one of the exceptions under the Act. 

A settlement agreement was finalized between the companies and the U.S. in January 2024. The agreement requires KIF and ARM to pay $9.5 million to the U.S. The companies also stopped using the BCR to transport seafood to the U.S. after this ruling.

“This is the second largest settlement of a case brought under the Jones Act in the history of our Nation,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners did a tremendous job successfully investigating and litigating this complex case. Our office will continue to dedicate resources to ensuring the laws in place to protect fair maritime commerce are followed by all industries in Alaska.”

“The resolution of this case sends a clear signal that CBP will use its law enforcement powers to detect and deter schemes that are designed to circumvent laws – such as the Jones Act -- which are intended to protect U.S. industries,” said AnnMarie R. Highsmith, Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

CBP investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Glazier and Seth Beausang, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Siobhan McIntyre prosecuted the case, with significant assistance from Senior Trial Counsel Monica Triana with the Justice Department’s International Trade Field Office and Senior Attorney Marc Matthews with CBP.

UPDATE: The quote from S. Lane Tucker has been amended from the original publication. 

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Kodiak man was sentenced to over 17 years in prison for possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and possessing multiple firearms as a felon.

According to court documents, agents executed search warrants on Mark Nason’s vehicle and residence in September 2022. Agents found a total of roughly 1.6 kilos of meth, 1.5 kilos of fentanyl and 70 grams of heroin, and five firearms in his vehicle and in his bedroom. Law enforcement also recovered over $56,800 in cash proceeds from the defendant’s distribution of controlled substances.

After his arrest, Nason reached out to associates and asked them to retrieve drugs from his storage units in Anchorage and sell the drugs to make money for his bail. Law enforcement located roughly 4.9 kilos of meth, 1.2 kilos of fentanyl, 150 grams of heroin and five firearms. In total, law enforcement seized over 6.5 kilos of meth and 2.7 kilos of fentanyl that the defendant possessed with intent to sell. The sentencing memorandum alleges, in total, the defendant possessed over 1.3 million potentially lethal doses.

At the time of this conduct, the defendant was previously convicted of multiple felonies starting at the age of 20. These felonies included theft, larceny, assault and misconduct involving firearms. The court cited the defendant’s extensive criminal history, the impact of fentanyl on small communities and a priority to protect the community from potential future crimes when delivering the sentence. U.S. District Court Judge Joshua Kindred stated, “the distinction here is, though I appreciate his attempts to show how he has changed … at some point in time, someone’s criminal history becomes so voluminous that you can’t overlook it.”

The defendant is also required to serve 10 years’ supervised release as part of his sentence.

“The defendant has been incarcerated almost continuously since he was 20 years old and is a habitual violent offender,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute perpetrators who choose to commit illegal acts and pose a great public safety threat to Alaskans.”

“The Alaska State Troopers are committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold anyone that distributes dangerous drugs accountable for their actions,” said Captain Cornelius Sims, Commander of the Alaska State Trooper’s Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit. “Drug overdose claims the lives of hundreds of Alaskans each year, and law enforcement will continue to do our part to disrupt the tidal wave of illegal narcotics flowing into Alaska.”

“The Coast Guard Investigative Service in concert with our federal, state, and local partners are committed to protecting the citizens of Alaska and will continue to be aggressive in our fight to keep these dangerous drugs off the streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Paul Shultz of the Coast Guard Investigative Service Northwest Field Office.

The Coast Guard Investigative Service Northwest Field Office and Alaska State Troopers, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alana Weber prosecuted the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Two men were sentenced to four years’ probation for killing a bull moose inside Denali National Park.

According to court documents, on Sept. 20, 2021, Andrew McDonald, 42, of Harrisburg, South Dakota, and Christopher Brumwell, 42, of Anchorage, were hunting in Denali National Park when McDonald shot a bull moose inside the park boundary. Three groups of hunters witnessed the illegal kill and separately reported McDonald’s and Brumwell’s conduct to law enforcement. The defendants spent several hours field dressing the moose to move the skull and a small portion of the meat to a concealed location outside the park boundary. The rest of the meat was left at the kill site for two days, until Park Rangers packed out an additional 76 pounds.

McDonald denied any knowledge of the moose kill when questioned by law enforcement the next day, while Brumwell was out in the field attempting to move the rest of the meat. Witnesses reported that Brumwell denied any knowledge of the kill when they contacted him in the field. Brumwell returned to his camp without moving any more of the meat.

Park rangers directed the men to retrieve the two game bags they moved, along with the remainder of the meat. Two days after the illegal kill, Park Rangers contacted McDonald and Brumwell as they were headed out of the field. The Park Rangers observed the men with the skinned moose skull from the kill site and the two game bags, but the men failed to retrieve the rest of the meat from the kill site as directed.

McDonald was hunting on a non-resident license, and Brumwell was hunting on a resident license.

The court delivered a sentence of four years’ probation and prohibited both defendants from hunting or seeking hunting licenses anywhere in the world for four years. Brumwell is required to pay a fine of $10,000. McDonald will pay a fine of $2,500 and $7,500 in restitution to Denali National Park. When delivering the sentence, the Court emphasized the seriousness of the crime by stating, “I want anyone who is aware of this case to know that this is not a mistake, this is a big deal. … We take this very seriously.”

Moose that aren’t taken through conventional hunting are donated to the Alaska Department of Safety “Roadkill Salvage Program,” which donates the moose meat to participating charities, people and organizations. The average moose yields roughly 500 pounds of meat, but because of the defendants conduct in this case, Rangers were able to salvage and donate only approximately 196 pounds of meat.

"Mr. McDonald and Mr. Brumwell’s actions are an affront to law abiding hunters and Alaskan subsistence living,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Hunting must be done legally and in accordance with regulations. My office will continue to work with our wildlife law enforcement partners  to ensure that hunting rules and regulations are followed by resident and non-resident hunters.” 

“We are very proud of the work our rangers, special agents, and law enforcement partners accomplished to ensure the successful outcome of this case," said National Park Service Alaska Regional Director, Sarah Creachbaum. “A special thanks to the local hunters who witnessed the violations and helped out with the case.”

The National Park Service investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ainsley McNerney prosecuted the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for distributing controlled substances and possessing multiple firearms as a felon.

According to court documents, in December 2020, Jack Horsley, 64, sold four ounces of meth and five ounces of heroin to an individual working with law enforcement. When law enforcement executed a search warrant on the defendant’s home, they found more controlled substances and 11 firearms. Horsley possessed an additional 800 grams of heroin in his vehicle and $17,850 in cash.

Horsley was previously convicted by the State of Alaska in 2009 for misconduct involving controlled substances.

Horsley pleaded guilty in November 2023 to one count of distribution of controlled substances and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Horsley was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division, the Alaska State Troopers (AST) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey prosecuted the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S. will collect over $350,000 in treble damages and penalties after a default judgement was ordered in the False Claims Act case of the former co-owner of Arm Rippin Toys, who made false statements on an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application.

Michael Hanzuk II, 31, of Anchorage, co-owned Arm Rippin Toys Inc. According to court documents, Hanzuk admitted in a related criminal case that beginning in July 2019 he and the two other co-owners and employees ran a “tuning and deleting” scheme of their customers’ diesel vehicles. This scheme involved removing control systems designed to reduce pollutants being emitted from vehicles, which is illegal under the Clean Air Act. Hanzuk was charged and convicted of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act in August 2022.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Congress authorized emergency funding for federal agencies to provide financial assistance to the public in the form of loans. In 2020, Hanzuk applied for an EIDL loan of over $100,000 and falsely certified that he and Arm Rippin Toys were not engaged in “any illegal activity,” despite their active conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act.

The False Claims Act (FCA) creates a civil cause of action for the recovery of damages and penalties from those who submit false or fraudulent claims to the United States. The U.S. affirmatively sought and was granted treble damages, as well as penalties against Hanzuk in the civil matter for his false claims, which were three times the amount of the EIDL funds he received.

“My office will continue to prosecute Covid-19 related fraud and bring justice to those who abuse these programs,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “The False Claims Act allows treble damages and penalties, which acts as a valuable tool to deter and to hold accountable those who seek to misuse public funds and scam American taxpayers.”

“Those who violate the False Claim Act by wrongfully receiving SBA pandemic program funds will be held accountable,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “This settlement demonstrates that wrongfully obtaining taxpayer dollars will not go unnoticed, and violators will be identified. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”

The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Traini litigated the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska announced her office’s priority to prosecute white-collar and financial crimes committed in Alaska. One prong of this effort is the formal establishment of an interagency Covid-19 Fraud Task Force.

“White-collar and other financial crimes devastate families, communities and organizations. This task force brings together key law enforcement personnel to continue our ongoing efforts to combat all types of white-collar crime, including Covid-19 related fraud,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office will remain steadfast in our work with law enforcement to find, investigate and prosecute any individual who chooses to commit these crimes.”

 The following agencies are part of the task force:

• U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General Western Region Office (SBA OIG)
• IRS, Criminal Investigation Seattle Division Office (IRS CI)
• FBI Anchorage Field Office
• U.S. Department of Treasury, Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA)

“The task force model is a proven approach to efficiently bringing resources to bear to combat fraud,” stated SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “Our office values our law enforcement partners' shared commitment to holding wrongdoers accountable. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

“White-collar crimes are not violent, but they are not victimless,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “By collaborating with our partners and utilizing intelligence-driven strategies, the FBI has been working diligently to tackle white-collar crimes and to hold fraudsters accountable.”

“Financial crime is not victimless and hurts many people,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS CI, Seattle Field Office. “Our team here in Alaska is incredibly invested in our local communities, and we are dedicated to protecting them from harm. We all depend on our financial systems every day, and we are proud to join with U.S. Attorney Tucker and our partners in law enforcement in these essential efforts to keep our communities vibrant and safe.”

The Task Force identifies, investigates and prosecutes those whose defraud economic aid programs intended to help individuals and small businesses negatively impacted by the COVID‑19 pandemic. That includes programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), Restaurant Revitalization Funds (RRF), Shuttered Venue Operator Grants (SVOG), State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program (CFAP), Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and Unemployment Insurance (UI). To fraudulently obtain these funds, criminals have created fake businesses, committed identity theft, falsely reported their criminal history and inflated the size and scope of actual businesses, most often subsequently misusing federal funding for personal gain.

Notable Cases

In conjunction with today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Tucker also announced charges and recognized milestones in a number of financial crimes cases, including charges in cases investigated by the Task Force.

Since September 2023, three cases alleging fraud charges related to Covid-19 programs have been indicted following investigations by the Task Force. The cases are as follows (by date of indictment):

• Rosaline Natazha Mavaega, 41, and Esau Malele Fualema Jr., 44, of Anchorage, were indicted in September 2023 on major fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and identify theft charges related to an alleged scheme to steal millions of dollars through Covid-19 recovery funds. The indictment alleges they stole over $1.6 million.
• Lloyd Pennebaker, 58, of Anchorage, was indicted in October 2023 on wire fraud charges related to false statements regarding his criminal history he allegedly made on EIDL loan applications from April 2020 to May 2021. The indictment alleges he received $122,500 in federal funding from the EIDL loans.
• Cheryl Labrie, 36, of Anchorage, was indicted in January 2024 on wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering charges related to an alleged scheme to obtain and launder nearly $1 million she received through multiple EIDL and PPP loans and advances over a year.

Other notable financial fraud cases:

• Garett Elder, 30, of Anchorage, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Nov. 13, 2023, after he defrauded more than $26 million from over 170 victims in a large-scale investment fraud scheme.
• The U.S. will collect over $350,000 in treble damages and penalties after a default judgement was ordered in the False Claims Act case against Michael Hanzuk II, 31, of Anchorage. Hanzuk was a former co-owner of Arm Rippin Toys Inc. and was convicted of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act in August 2022. In 2020, Hanzuk applied for an EIDL loan of over $100,000 and falsely certified that he and Arm Rippin Toys were not engaged in “any illegal activity,” despite their active conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act.
• Saray Consuelo Sarmiento Angarita Lockwood, 58, of Kenai, was sentenced to one year in prison on Dec. 18, 2023, after she and her late husband made a materially false statement in a bankruptcy case.
• Melissa Dobbs, 50, of the Matanuska Valley, was indicted in January 2024 on charges of healthcare fraud and allegedly making false statements on a loan application.
• Jayel Jean Lane, 34, of Anchorage, was sentenced to nine months in prison on Feb. 7, 2024, after she stole and misused Social Security benefits for roughly seven years. Lane stole over $76,000 in benefits that she applied for on behalf of a minor and spent the money for her own personal use.

Citizens and others who suspect fraud or other criminal wrongdoing related to the pandemic can report crimes by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Tips for all white-collar and financial crimes can also be submitted to the FBI at ic3.gov or tips.fbi.gov, the SBA OIG at sbax.sba.gov/oigcss/ or the IRS CI at www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/reporting-fraud-and-abuse-within-the-irs-e-file-program.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Matanuska Valley woman with healthcare fraud and with making a false statement in a loan application.

According to court documents, beginning in January 2017, Melissa Ann Dobbs, 50, allegedly executed and attempted to execute a scheme to defraud healthcare benefit programs. The indictment also alleges that Dobbs made a false statement to a federally insured bank. According to State of Alaska records, Dobbs holds a professional behavior analyst license.

Dobbs is charged with one count of healthcare fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1347, and one count for a false statement in a loan application in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1014. The defendant made her initial court appearance on February 6, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment for the healthcare fraud charge, plus an additional 30 years for the bank loan fraud charge, and a cumulative fine of up to $500,000. Further, the indictment alleges that the Court may order forfeiture of all proceeds traceable to the offense, including funds already seized by the State of Alaska. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after conviction and will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Bryan Denny of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service Seattle Resident Agency, and Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Western Regional Office made the announcement.

The Offices of Inspector General of the United States Department of Defense and the Small Business Administration are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Walker is prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage woman was sentenced to nine months in prison for stealing and misusing Social Security benefits.

According to court documents, Jayel Jean Lane, 34, applied for Social Security benefits on behalf of a minor in 2013. She received benefits for the minor from 2014 to 2022.

For roughly seven years, Lane filed false reporting with the Social Security Administration, claiming that she spent the benefits on behalf of the minor, when, in fact, she spent the money for her own personal use. In total, Lane stole over $76,000 of the minor’s benefits. 

On Feb. 7, 2024, the Court denied Lane’s request to impose a sentence of home confinement and instead adopted the United States’ recommendation and sentenced the defendant to nine months’ incarceration. When delivering the sentence, the Court cited hopes of deterring others from taking money that Congress has determined necessary for those in need. The Court also ordered Lane to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration in the amount of $76, 998.74.

“The defendant’s actions caused direct harm to the minor victim and the Social Security Administration and was an affront to American taxpayers who play a significant role in assisting those who receive these benefits,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute perpetrators who steal from community members, taxpayers and the federal government.”

“This sentence holds Ms. Lane accountable for intentionally using her son’s Social Security benefits for her own personal gain and failure to notify SSA of a change in guardianship of the beneficiary,” said Inspector General Gail S. Ennis for SSA. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case.”

The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ainsley McNerney prosecuted the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging an Anchorage businesswoman with allegedly misusing Covid-19 relief funds for personal gain.

According to court documents, Cheryl Labrie, 36, is the owner of AKBS LLC, an entity with the trade name Liberty Tax Service that provides bookkeeping, payroll and bill pay services in Alaska. Over the course of a year, Labrie applied for and obtained multiple federal loans and advances, totaling approximately $1 million.

In her first loan application, the defendant failed to disclose a prior felony conviction on the application, and then continued to claim that all statements on the original loan application were true. The indictment alleges that in subsequent applications the defendant inflated her businesses’ average monthly payroll expenses and the total number of employees.

In total, Labrie applied for and obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) advance, two EIDL loans, two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and the forgiveness of two PPP loans for AKBS LLC. The funds loaned to the business were allegedly transferred from her official business bank account to her personal bank account. She used the money to facilitate the purchase of a new home, pay an outstanding tax debt of a separate entity, and pay the payroll expenses for a marijuana dispensary.

Labrie is charged with four counts of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1343, two counts of bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1344, and six counts of money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1957. Labrie made her initial court appearance on Feb. 1 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General Western Regional Office made the announcement.

The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the FBI Anchorage Field Office are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Heyman and Mac Caille Petursson are prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment in October charging an Anchorage businessman with allegedly committing wire fraud related to his application for Covid-19 recovery funds. He was transferred from Texas to Alaska this month.

According to court documents, Lloyd Pennebaker, 58, is the owner of The Pennebaker Group, an organization doing business in Anchorage under the name Cornerstone Auto Sales. Pennebaker was also convicted of three felonies in September 2002.

From April 2020 to May 2021, the defendant applied for and obtained Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans for Cornerstone Auto Sales and received $122,500 in federal funding. Court documents allege Pennebaker made false statements regarding his criminal history on the applications for the EIDL loans, which were sent through interstate communications.

Pennebaker is charged with one count wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1343.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General Western Regional Office made the announcement.

The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek is prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Washington man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for sexually enticing and exploiting a minor from a rural Alaskan village.

According to court documents, Brian Powell, 41, of Spokane, Washington, enticed and coerced the 12-year-old juvenile victim. Powell, 40, claimed to be “Brian Gaither” and that he was 27 years old.

Powell communicated with the victim through social media, text messages and calls nearly every day for roughly five months. Powell exploited the victim in order to obtain child sexual abuse material.

Powell pleaded guilty to coercing a minor in August 2023. He is required to pay over $35,000 in restitution and serve 15 years’ supervised release as part of his sentence.

When handing down the sentence, the Court cited concern for Powell’s actions in this case and the need to protect the public from future crimes of this nature that the defendant could potentially commit.

"Mr. Powell’s exploitation of this victim in this case is abhorrent but does not define that child’s life,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Our community is safer today thanks to those who came forward to disclose Mr. Powell’s bad acts and to the hard work done by law enforcement across the state. My office maintains our unwavering commitment to working with law enforcement to vigorously prosecute predators who exploit our children.”

"HSI is dedicated to pursuing justice for children who endure abuse and exploitation online, both locally and globally," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. "This successful case was the result of seamless collaboration between HSI Anchorage, Alaska State Troopers, HSI Spokane, Spokane Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in both districts. Together, we located and apprehended the target of our investigation, while also providing support to the victims."

“Your Alaska State Troopers will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold anyone that victimizes Alaska’s children responsible for their reprehensible actions,” stated Alaska State Troopers Colonel Maurice Hughes. “I hope that this significant prison sentence serves as a deterrent that criminally enticing youth comes with a steep penalty. Know that law enforcement will catch up to you and arrest you.”

The Alaska State Troopers and Homeland Security Investigations Anchorage, Alaska, Office investigated the case. If anyone has information concerning Powell’s actions or may have encountered someone in person or online using the name “Brian Powell,” “Brian Gaither” or “Tyshawn Gaither,” please contact the Homeland Security Investigations tip line at (866) 347-2423.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ainsley McNerney and Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

UPDATE: This release has been amended with a different tip line phone number. 

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Eagle River man was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor in order to produce and possess child pornography.

According to court documents, Michael Vernon Ross, 32, began sexually abusing a 7-year-old child in 2017. The abuse occurred weekly and lasted for multiple years.

Ross documented some of the abuse through pictures and videos kept on his cell phone. The defendant was in possession of over 450 photos and 30 videos of varied length depicting his sexual abuse of the victim.

On Sept. 3, 2021, classmates of the victim told school staff that they believed the child was being abused. The school took appropriate and timely action to report the abuse to law enforcement, which led to the prompt investigation and prosecution of the defendant.

Ross pleaded guilty in September 2023 to one count sexual exploitation of a child for production of child pornography and one count possession of child pornography. Ross was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, 25 years’ supervised release, and is required to pay over $28,000 in restitution.

In imposing the maximum sentence for the production of child pornography, the court noted that while it doesn’t have the power to “bring back the victim’s childhood, there can be provision for just punishment.”

“Mr. Ross’ actions were deplorable. He preyed on a member of our most vulnerable community and caused irreparable damage to those involved,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Individuals who choose to target children should expect to be vigorously investigated and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in collaboration with our law enforcement partners. This case highlights why encouraging your children and peers to report suspected abuse is paramount, because it helps our teams continue to prioritize efforts to keep Alaska’s children safe.”

“The defendant’s years-long child exploitation crimes are among the most egregious and have no place in our society,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “May this sentence serve as a reminder that the FBI and our law enforcement partners have zero tolerance for child predators, and will hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The Anchorage Police Department thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the prosecution of these offenses.  The sexual exploitation of anyone is unacceptable in the Municipality of Anchorage and all communities.  The abuse of our youth is a serious matter that will be diligently investigated,” said APD CACU Detective S. Davies. “The Anchorage Police Department encourages anyone who learns of a disclosure of sexual abuse or sexual exploitation, or makes observations of those crimes, to please make a report.  It is our hope that the sentence received by Mr. Ross will bring closure to those involved and have a deterrent effect for others.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Brickey and Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the

Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

If you are a victim of child abuse or suspect someone you know is a victim, you can report to APD at ReportChildAbusetoAPD@anchorageak.gov or 3-1-1/(907) 786-8900, the state OCS at reportchildabuse@alaska.gov or 1(800) 478-4444, or the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, subsequent to his conviction by a federal jury of one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in July 2023.

According to court documents, Charles Rashid Malik Lee, aka “Cheese,” 41, had been under investigation by federal authorities. The FBI And Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a search warrant on Lee’s residence and vehicle in Anchorage in Oct. 2021.

Agents found Lee inside the residence in the process of flushing heroin down the toilet. Agents searched the residence and discovered a total of over 150 grams of meth, 100 grams of heroin and 90 grams of cocaine. According to evidence presented at trial, these drugs had a street value of over $54,000.

Agents also found tools commonly used by drug traffickers, including digital scales, branded baggies and two loaded handguns, among other items. It was later determined that one of the digital scales had Lee’s fingerprint on it. Agents also discovered over $165,000 in cash hidden in multiple locations around the residence, including in a crawl space.

“This successful prosecution shows that illegal drug distribution has no place in Alaska and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office, in partnership with our law enforcement partners, will investigate and vigorously prosecute any perpetrator who chooses to distribute these dangerous drugs and seek justice for any damage they cause.”

“The defendant’s dangerous drug trafficking activities threatened the safety of our community and his own family,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Anyone who profits from violence and drug trafficking activities at the expense of public safety will be held accountable by the FBI and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.”

“Cases like this clearly demonstrate the resolve of the Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to hold criminals such as Mr. Lee accountable for his actions,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “We will not tolerate armed drug traffickers in our community, as the sentence in this case shows.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the DEA Seattle Field Division investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Brickey and Alana Weber prosecuted the case.

This investigation and prosecution were part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

UPDATE: This release has been amended to include a quote from FBI Anchorage.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Arizona man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in an international drug trafficking ring targeting Alaska.

According to court documents, Joel Rascone, 30, of Yuma, Arizona, was a member of Miguel Guevara’s drug trafficking ring that smuggled over a dozen kilos of meth, heroin and cocaine from Mexico into Alaska for six years. As part of his role in the enterprise, Rascone sold heroin for the organization in Alaska and sent wire transfers to Guevara’s coconspirators and suppliers in Mexico.

Rascone had four felony convictions in the state of Arizona prior to this case, including theft, possession of a dangerous drug, and two convictions for attempted unlawful use of means of transportation. In the 2017 theft case, Rascone and two other men robbed a gas station in Yuma, Arizona, at knifepoint, all wearing masks over their faces.

Three other defendants in this case have already been sentenced or pleaded guilty:

• Miguel Guevara, a.k.a. “Javi,” 40, has entered a plea of guilty and it is awaiting acceptance from the Court.
• Serena Joseph, 41, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and money laundering and was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment.
• Washahiotha Zaragoza, 46, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.

Four additional co-defendants are believed to be at large in Mexico.

"These prosecutions mark another milestone in our fight against criminals who come to Alaska from Outside to traffic dangerous drugs that harm our communities,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Dismantling drug trafficking organizations is a priority for my office, and we will continue to partner with law enforcement to keep drugs out of our state and keep Alaskans safe.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Office led the investigation, with support from the Anchorage Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations Sells, Arizona Office, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Alaska State Troopers, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Police and Alaska National Guard.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ainsley McNerney, Christopher Schroeder and William Taylor are prosecuting the case, with assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison O’Leary. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, and law enforcement agencies in the state of Arizona provided additional support on the case.

This investigation and prosecution are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Halibut Cove woman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years’ probation, with three months of the probation spent in home confinement, a $9,500 fine and is required to give up her mariner’s license after she attempted to interfere with the navigation of a seaplane using a boat.

According to court documents, on Aug. 23, 2022, Marian Beck, 70, operated a boat in a reckless manner by making several close passing maneuvers in front of a seaplane while it was taxiing out of the waterway. The seaplane was full of passengers participating in a bear and sightseeing tour via the plane.

Beck is a licensed mariner and operates commercially in Halibut Cove and the surrounding area. Beck is required to relinquish her Master-Captain’s license to the U.S. Coast Guard as part of her sentence.

The U.S. District Court imposed three years’ probation, including a requirement of three months’ home confinement, citing that the defendant’s actions created a reckless and dangerous situation and factored into the court’s decision. During the hearing, the court commented that the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense and sends a message to industry professionals to deter future criminal actions. 

“Ms. Beck’s conscious disregard for the safety of the pilot and his passengers will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Seaplanes are an integral piece of Alaska, and the pilots and passengers of these planes should be free to operate and travel freely within the state and elsewhere without harassment in their day-to-day operations.”

“The Coast Guard Investigative Service values the safety of all mariners, and will not tolerate dangerous and deliberate acts that endanger the lives of others.  We thank the local community for their tips and their patience as this case was investigated and brought to resolution,” said Paul M. Shultz, Special Agent in Charge of the Coast Guard Investigative Service Northwest Field Office.

“The Coast Guard fully supports the just result in this case,” said Rear Admiral Megan Dean, Commander of the Coast Guard’s 17th District. “We want every mariner to operate their vessel safely and in compliance with the law.”

The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Northwest Field Office, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gavelek are prosecuting the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska announced today that 53 people have been charged through nine indictments in connection with a large-scale organized crime ring operating within the state of Alaska.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Zahn of the Drug Enforcement Administration Anchorage District Office, Assistant Inspector In Charge Jarrod Resendez of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division, Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office, and Capt. Cornelius Sims of the Alaska State Troopers made the announcement alongside Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office and Chief Michael Kerle of the Anchorage Police Department during a press conference at the James M. Fitzgerald U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building.

According to court documents, Heraclio Sanchez-Rodriguez, 57, ran a transnational organized crime and drug trafficking ring targeting Alaska. Throughout the entirety of the conspiracy, Sanchez-Rodriguez was an inmate in a California state prison. He allegedly used contraband cell phones to communicate with his suppliers in Mexico and their brokers, leaders in California and Oregon, and distributors of the drug trafficking enterprise in Alaska.

From February 2022 to July 2023, law enforcement intercepted roughly 36 kilograms of fentanyl, 27.3 kilograms of meth, 11.3 kilograms of heroin and 118 grams of cocaine connected to the enterprise, with the majority destined for various communities across the state. According to the indictments, the enterprise mainly used high-level suppliers to send drug packages through the U.S. Postal Service from Oregon and California to Alaska. Distributors located in Alaska would receive the packages and distribute the drugs to Alaskan communities as small as Goodnews Bay, Tyonek, Sand Point and Savoonga per Sanchez-Rodriguez’s instruction.

The indictments charge that Christina Quintana, 38, who was an inmate at Hiland Mountain Correctional Facility in Eagle River during the entirety of the conspiracy, was known as one of Sanchez-Rodriguez’s “wives,” which was a title reserved for high-ranking members of the enterprise. Her role in the conspiracy was allegedly to recruit soon to be released inmates from Hiland to be distributors for the enterprise. Upon release, the newly recruited members are alleged to have received packages of drugs to distribute the drugs across Alaska.

At the direction of Sanchez-Rodriguez and in furtherance of the conspiracy, Tamara Bren, 41, who was one of Sanchez-Rodriguez’s  “wives,” and Kevin Peterson, 29, another member of the enterprise, allegedly killed Sunday Powers and Kami Clark near Trapper Creek in May 2023. Court documents allege Sanchez-Rodriguez, Bren and Peterson coordinated the kidnapping, where the victims were kidnapped through carjacking, murdered and buried in a shallow grave.

The grand jury also charged Edward Ginnis, 38, and Samantha Pearson, 37, of North Pole, with offenses related to their role in the conspiracy and with distributing fentanyl to Adam Sakkinen resulting in his death.

Over 25 defendants were also charged with money laundering conspiracy to promote drug trafficking and concealing the source of the funds. Court documents identified at least 76 separate money laundering transactions as part of the investigation, including some made internationally to Mexico.

Defendants in this case include (in alphabetical order):

1. Alison Giacullo, 40
2. Amber Young, 28
3. Amy Garcia, 32
4. Angela Jasper, 39
5. Anna Petla, 24
6. April Chythlook, 28
7. Ashley Northrup, 35
8. Catherine Phillips, 40
9. Christina Quintana
10. Cloe Sam, 26
11. Colleen McDaniel, 68
12. Della Northway, 28
13. Desiree Green, 45
14. Douglas Vanmeter, 32
15. Edward Ginnis
16. Elroy Bouchard, 58
17. Erika Badillo, a.k.a “Erica Madrigal,” 42
18. Erindira Pin, 44
19. Frieda Gillespie, 50
20. Gust Romie, 36
21. Heraclio Sanchez-Rodriguez, a.k.a “Charlie,” “Marco” and “Danny Sanchez”
22. James Schwarz, 41
23. Josi Sterling, f.k.a “Josi Philbin,” 35
24. Julia Brusell, 41
25. Kaleea Fox, 24
26. Karen Kasak, 51
27. Karly Fuller, 30
28. Kevin Peterson II
29. Khamthene Thongdy, 45
30. Krystyn Gosuk, 33
31. Larry Marsden, 41
32. Lois Frank, 64
33. Mario Klanott, 37
34. Michael Kohler, 35
35. Michael Soto, 33
36. Michelle Pungowiyi, 49
37. Naomi Sanchez, 39
38. Pasquale Giordano, 45
39. Patricia Seal-Uttke, 30
40. Pius Hanson, 40
41. Richard Frye, 35
42. Rochelle Wood, 38
43. Samantha Pearson
44. Sara Orr, 32
45. Shanda Barlow, 34
46. Shania Agli, 25
47. Stormy Cleveland, f.k.a “Stormy Powell,” 37
48. Tamara Bren
49. Tamberlyn Solomon, 25
50. Tiffani Couch, 30
51. Twyla Gloko, 36
52. Valerie Sanchez, 26
53. Veronica Sanchez, 49

Most defendants made their initial court appearances over the past four months before U.S. Magistrate Judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.

The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office, FBI Anchorage Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, Homeland Security Investigations Anchorage, Alaska Office, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department and Palmer Police Department, with significant law enforcement support from the U.S. Marshals Service, are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan Collins, Christopher Schroeder, Karen Vandergaw and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case.

This investigation and prosecution are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

UPDATE: This press release has been changed to include the law enforcement agency Homeland Security Investigations Anchorage, Alaska Office.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Groves Salmon Charters LLC, a fishing guide service in Copper Center, Alaska, paid $900,000 to resolve a lawsuit brought by the U.S. alleging the company negligently ignited the Klutina River Fire in 2019.

The settlement requires Groves Salmon Charters LLC and a fishing guide employed by Groves to pay for damages incurred during the Klutina River Fire.

The wildfire ignited on July 8, 2019, after Groves’ guide started a campfire at or around mile 17 of the Klutina River. Later that evening, an individual reported a large forest fire in the area along the Klutina River. The fire ultimately burned 176 acres of land before it was extinguished by state authorities.

Wildfire investigators determined Groves’ guide started a campfire at or near mile 17 of the Klutina River despite being aware of high fire danger.  Investigators determined Groves’ guide caused the Klutina River Fire when he failed to properly extinguish the campfire.

The State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Fire Protection undertook fire suppression efforts. The U.S. Department of Interior BLM, Alaska Fire Service was fiscally responsible for all the fire suppression costs. A multi-agency team of fire investigators from the U.S. Forest Service, Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection, and BLM conducted the investigation.  

“My office wants to recognize the tireless work the State of Alaska put forward to suppress this fire, the work of the U.S. Forest Service investigators to pinpoint the cause of the fire, and the BLM Office of Law Enforcement and Security and the Alaska Fire Service who worked to complete the investigation. This settlement represents the final step in the government’s effort to ensure justice was served in this case,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “As we experience longer fire seasons and more extreme fire behavior, we will hold anyone who ignites wildland fires accountable for the costs of fires they cause on Alaskan lands. We will take all measures to protect and conserve public lands for the use and enjoyment of all.”

 “Escaped campfires like this one are at the top of the list for human-caused wildfires on BLM-managed public lands in Alaska,” said BLM Alaska Prevention and Mitigation Program Lead Casey Boespflug. “These fires are often a result of a campfire or warming fire not being fully extinguished or not being built on bare ground or rock. Using a burn pan or fire barrier reduces the likelihood of a fire escaping if built on organic materials, even in wet or cold conditions.”

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackie Traini and Glenn Shidner, with the help and support of the Department of the Interior Office of the Solicitor, litigated the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A former Anchorage USPS mail carrier was arrested yesterday in Missouri after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment in December charging him with fraud and theft for allegedly stealing checks from the mail for personal gain.

According to court documents, Nha Xiong, 25, altered bank checks, typically with Whiteout, and wrote his name on the checks, making it appear as if the checks were made out to him. Xiong would then deposit the altered checks into his bank account.

From November to December 2021, the defendant deposited six stolen checks from Northrim Bank, Bank of America, KeyBank and Mt. McKinley Bank into his bank account, totaling over $39,000.

Xiong is charged with one count bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1344(2), and one count theft of mail by a postal employee, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1709. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, Xiong faces potential fines and up to 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Seattle Division and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Bulle of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Western-Pacific Area Field Office made the announcement.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Vandergaw and Amy Miller are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Eagle River man was arrested by the FBI Wednesday on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of child pornography and attempted coercion of a minor.

According to court documents, Michael Koetter, 28, possessed child pornography depicting minors as young as toddlers. He also allegedly attempted to induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit behavior by seeking out girls under 12 years old that “have rates,” which is a term often used in the commercial sex industry referring to the price to perform sex acts or purchase sexually explicit images.

Koetter is charged with possession of child pornography depicting minors who have not attained 12 years of age, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2252A(a)(5)(b) and (b)(2), and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b). If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case. If anyone has information concerning Koetter’s alleged actions or may have encountered someone in person or online while in Alaska or Indiana using the name Michael Koetter or the username “sskies420,” please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at (907) 276-4441 or anonymously at tips.fbi.gov.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the

Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced to over six years in prison for possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, Jose Galvan Jr., 49, was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic stop on Feb. 12, 2022. The driver of the vehicle told the officer that he did not have a valid driver’s license and was recently released from jail. During the traffic stop, officers discovered Galvan had two concealed firearms on his person, and three additional firearms and drug paraphernalia in a backpack.

When officers discovered the concealed firearms, they detained Galvan in a patrol car. While in the patrol car, the defendant ripped open a Ziploc bag of fentanyl that he had concealed on his person, spreading the powder over the seats. Galvan was removed from the vehicle and transferred to a hospital after officers observed the defendant experiencing what they believed to be overdose symptoms from fentanyl exposure.

Further investigation revealed that Galvan intended to sell the fentanyl and carried the firearms for protection while he trafficked drugs.

Court documents also lay out the defendant’s history of violence starting 26 years ago when he used a shotgun to rob a victim. Galvan has committed multiple violent felonies, including robbery, a shooting connected to drug trafficking, possessing firearms as a felon and the assault of a woman that he strangled until she lost consciousness. The court cited these violent actions when the sentence was delivered, stating that the defendant was well attuned to the danger of possessing firearms during drugs crimes since the defendant’s previous conviction was a drug crime that resulted in a shooting, where the defendant himself was shot multiple times.

The defendant pled guilty on March 10, 2023. Galvan will also serve five years’ supervised release as part of his sentence.

“Mr. Galvan’s actions in 2022 continued his long history of violence and added to his time behind bars for this crime,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Violence has no place in our communities. My office will continue to remain vigilant and work with our law enforcement partners to prosecute habitual violent offenders who create problems in our cities and villages, and work to ensure they receive sentences commensurate with their history of violence.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw prosecuted the case.

This case was 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. The Department of Justice 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.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Washington man was sentenced on Dec. 28, 2023, to one year home confinement, followed by two years of supervised release, for interfering with a flight crew in April 2023.

According to court documents, Adam Seymour, 38, of Seattle, Washington, harassed and attempted to grope a female passenger seated next to him, threatened to “kill” a second passenger and assaulted a third while aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 49 inbound to Anchorage from Seattle. In the course of events Seymour, told passengers the plane was going to crash and everyone would die.

With the assistance of two off-duty police officers, flight crew removed Seymour from his seat and restrained him in the jump seat at the front of the airplane. Seymour broke free from his restraints and was restrained a second time. The off-duty police officers remained with Seymour at the front of the aircraft for the remainder of the flight.

Following a recommendation for a sentence of 12 months incarceration, the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska imposed 12 months of home confinement and included a requirement to engage in community service and a two-year term of supervision. During the hearing, the Court commented regarding the increase in misconduct aboard aircraft in recent years and recognized that air travel is a necessity for Alaskans and that all passengers should be able to travel free from harassment.

“For some Alaskans, air travel is the only way to travel from their home to important resources like medical appointments, making it an essential mode of transportation within the state. All Alaskans should feel safe while they travel on a plane,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Engaging in violent, harassing or obscene behavior while on an aircraft is a federal crime and can result in serious penalties. Potential perpetrators should think twice before engaging in similar conduct aboard an aircraft because we will prosecute these crimes.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ainsley McNerney prosecuted the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Wasilla man was sentenced today to over nine years in prison for his involvement in recklessly evading the police and using a firearm during a carjacking in 2021.

According to court documents, on Dec. 17, 2021, an Anchorage Police officer attempted a traffic stop on Bryson McEneaney, 36, but he evaded the officer and fled north on the Glenn Highway towards Palmer. Palmer Police deployed spike strips to stop the vehicle.  McEneaney avoided the strips by driving into oncoming traffic and stopping the vehicle.

Officers tased McEneaney as he exited the vehicle, but he was able to continue on foot towards a stopped vehicle.  McEneaney used a rifle to gain control of that vehicle.

According to a press release from the Anchorage Police Department about the defendant’s actions on Dec. 17, law enforcement located McEneaney in the stolen vehicle on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway. The defendant wrecked the vehicle while attempting to elude Wasilla Police officers and fled on foot. He was located by law enforcement behind a transit building and taken into custody.

At the time of this conduct, the defendant was previously convicted of multiple violent felonies from 2016, including vehicle theft, assault and burglary.

“Mr. McEneaney’s selfish and careless actions in 2021 were the pinnacle of his habitual violent offenses over the years. I want to thank our law enforcement partners who did tremendous collaborative work to ensure Mr. McEneaney was off the streets and no longer a threat to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office will continue to work with law enforcement to prioritize prosecuting violent offenders who continually show disregard for the health and safety of Alaskans.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department, Palmer Police Department and Wasilla Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw prosecuted the case.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Kenai woman was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for making a materially false statement in a bankruptcy case.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Saray Consuelo Sarmiento Angarita Lockwood, 58, ran a successful dental clinic in Kenai with her late husband. In April 2019, Lockwood and her husband filed for bankruptcy. During the bankruptcy proceeding, Lockwood made false statements under penalty of perjury about an entity they owned called Strategic Innovations LLC.

In October 2015, Lockwood and her husband opened two bank accounts in the name of Strategic Innovations LLC, the initial deposits for which were checks drawn on Lockwood’s husband’s retirement and investment accounts. Lockwood and her husband were the sole signatories on the bank accounts, and from 2015 through at least 2019, Lockwood performed most of the deposits and withdrawals into and from the accounts.

In May 2021, in connection with their bankruptcy, Lockwood and her husband responded to questions posed by the U.S. Trustee. On one question, Lockwood falsely claimed that family members had loaned Strategic Innovations LLC money to purchase at least four properties seized and auctioned off by the IRS as part of its efforts to collect the Lockwoods’ outstanding federal income tax liabilities.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Kindred ordered Lockwood to serve three years of supervised release. When Judge Kindred delivered his sentence, he cited general deterrence as a factor in his sentencing decision, explaining that white collar criminals should not be treated differently from other criminals who differ in socioeconomic status. He stated that “criminal conduct is criminal conduct," and it should result in proper sanctions.

United States Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. 

"For over 10 years, Ms. Lockwood executed calculated efforts to evade millions in tax payments and filed false statements in bankruptcy court to perpetuate the scheme. She took advantage of the system and disregarded all warnings given by federal agents,” said U.S. Attorney Tucker. “White collar criminals, like Ms. Lockwood, that evade taxes and file false statements to avoid their debts harm law abiding citizens. Absolutely no one is above the law, and my office will ensure that anyone who chooses to commit fraud will be aggressively prosecuted and held accountable for the damage they cause.”

“Ms. Lockwood was sentenced on a single count of bankruptcy fraud, yet all of her actions served the sole purpose of evading millions in taxes. This is not a victimless crime. The victims of tax evasion are you, me, and all the taxpayers in Alaska,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes. “IRS-CI, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will continue to investigate false claims in bankruptcy court and tax evasion, to foster confidence in these systems for the American people.”

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Heyman and Tom Bradley, and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the Justice Department’s Tax Division Western Criminal Enforcement Section prosecuted the case.

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JUNEAU, Alaska – A Juneau man was sentenced yesterday to two and a half years in prison and five years’ supervised release for stealing over $579,000 from three banks and two federal credit unions while serving as an armed transport guard.

According to court documents, Austin Nolan Dwight Rutherford, 29, was an armed transport guard for Axiom Armored Transport from January 2019 to March 2022. Axiom provided armed transportation of U.S. currency for several banks, credit unions and ATMs. Rutherford was transferred to Axiom’s Juneau branch in March 2020 and started stealing funds around that time.

An Axiom security camera recorded Rutherford taking a large amount of cash from Axiom property and into his personal vehicle, where he drove away. Bank records later showed that the defendant made multiple cash deposits into his personal bank account totaling over $338,000 and used the money for personal benefit.

The defendant was terminated in March 2022 but continued to make large cash deposits into his bank accounts through May 2022. An internal Axiom audit determined that Rutherford stole a total of $579,400 in bank and credit union funds.

Rutherford pleaded guilty to bank and credit union theft in June 2023. At the time of his plea, the defendant agreed to pay back all stolen funds through restitution. He is also required to pay over $86,000 in additional restitution claims for expenses related to Axiom’s investigation into Rutherford’s actions. The defendant will also serve five years’ supervised release.

“Mr. Rutherford broke the trust of his employer and the people of Alaska by stealing funds for his personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “The United States Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute those individuals who threaten the security of our financial institutions and bring them to justice.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt prosecuted the case.

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KOTZEBUE, Alaska – A Kasilof couple were charged with multiple federal regulation violations related to alleged illegal commercial transportation of game hunters in Alaska following a multi-year investigation by National Park Service (NPS) rangers.

According to court documents, Matthew Owen, 66, illegally transported caribou hunters in the Noatak National Preserve, located in northwest Alaska, in 2019 and 2020. The transportation was connected to a commercial entity and violated multiple federal regulations regarding commercial activity on NPS land.

Mr. Owen is charged with one count false information, in violation of 36 CFR §2.32(a)(3)(ii); 10 counts of engaging in business without a permit, in violation of 36 CFR §5.3; and three counts failure to follow a lawful order, in violation of 36 CFR §2.32. Additionally, Julie Owen, 60, is charged with one count false information, in violation of 36 CFR §2.32(a)(3)(ii) and one count of violation of provisions of a permit, in violation of 36 CFR §5.3.

If convicted, the defendants face six months’ imprisonment and a $5,000 fine for each charge. The defendants could also be required to pay all costs of the legal proceedings as part of their sentence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“Hunting is critical to subsistence and is a key piece of Alaskan culture. Hunting, and all associated activities, must be done legally and in accordance with regulations,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Our office will continue to work closely with the National Park Service and our other wildlife law enforcement partners to uphold the relevant rules and regulations related to hunting on public land.”

“Caribou are a vital species in the ecosystem and for communities in Northwest Alaska,” said Western Arctic National Parklands Superintendent Ray McPadden. “Caribou are protected within Noatak National Preserve.  Our team takes all possible hunting violations seriously and goes to great lengths to make sure folks are doing the right thing.” 

NPS is responsible for managing natural resources and permitting all commercial activity within Noatak National Preserve; NPS Law Enforcement Rangers actively patrol park lands and investigate suspected violations of Federal laws and regulations. The NPS takes all suspected violations seriously and encourages the public to report potential crimes and suspicious activity to the NPS Crime Tip Line at 1-888-653-0009 or online at go.nps.gov/SubmitATip or by email at nps_isb@nps.gov. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was arrested by the FBI Tuesday at an Anchorage hotel on criminal charges related to his alleged attempts to produce child pornography and entice a minor.

According to court documents, Dahkota Mitchell, 30, started communicating with and attempting to meet an individual that he believed was a 12-year-old girl on July 7, 2023. The conversation lasted for multiple months. The defendant used an online messaging application where he directed the individual to send explicit content, and discussed meeting in person and sexual interactions that would occur if they met in person.

Mitchell is charged with one count attempted production of child pornography, in violation 18 U.S.C. §2251(a), one count attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2251(b), and one count of possession for child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B), (b)(2). If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case. If anyone has information concerning Mitchell’s alleged actions or may have encountered someone using the username “daxter1495” or screenname “Dahkota Mitchell” on an online messaging app, please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at (907) 276-4441 or anonymously online at tips.fbi.gov.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Vosacek and Jennifer Ivers are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as 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.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment on Sept. 21, 2023, charging a former U.S. Army soldier with sexually assaulting a victim while stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

According to court documents, Shawn May, 24, was arrested in Delaware on Nov. 22, 2023, for allegedly making a victim engage in a sexual act by force and without the victim’s consent in March 2020. The assault is alleged to have happened on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

May is charged with one count aggravated sexual abuse, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2241(a), and one count of sexual abuse, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2242(3). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The Department of the Air Force, Office of Special Investigations is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Ivers and James Klugman are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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