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Author Topic: 23 lbs. Methamphetamine on its way to Alaska seized / 4 arrested  (Read 4040 times)
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« on: December 31, 2009, 07:31:27 PM »

Methamphetamine seized; 4 arrested

Last Modified: December 31st, 2009 02:23 PM

Twenty-three pounds of methamphetamine on its way to Alaska was seized and four people arrested in what law enforcement officials are calling the largest bust to date of meth headed to Alaska, the U.S. attorney's office said this afternoon.

The bust, involving law enforcement from Alaska, Washington and California, intercepted the Mexican-made meth from a vehicle being shipped from Seattle to Anchorage, prosecutors said. Officials also seized some four pounds of marijuana and a small arsenal of weapons and body armor in the investigation, which culminated this week.

Arrested Tuesday in Anchorage were Wasilla resident Ricky Reese, 51; Jared Lisenby, 29, of Anchorage; Ronald Hall, 78; of California; and Debja Steilen, 54, of California. Reese, who owns Shooter's Billiards in Wasilla, is the alleged recipient of the shipment, according to prosecutors.

Officials say the Drug Enforcement Administration seized $12,000 from a 1990 Chevrolet pickup being shipped to Anchorage from Seattle on March 29. Prosecutors say Hall, who has prior drug trafficking convictions, shipped the vehicle back and forth between the cities on numerous occasions, though the vehicle had more than 300,000 miles on its odometer.

The vehicle was left to continue its voyage. Investigators followed it as it was driven south to Oregon and California, where investigators identified another vehicle associated with Hall, a 2005 Ford Explorer registered to Debja Steilen, a companion of Hall's who made trips to Anchorage.

Prosecutors say Hall made round-trip excursions to Mexico three days in a row beginning Dec. 10. Investigators say Hall and Steilen then drove the 2005 Ford Explorer from California to Fife, Wash., where they put it on a barge bound for Alaska.

DEA agents in Seattle searched the vehicle and found the 23 pounds of methamphetamine in a trap door under the rear seat, prosecutors said. They took the drugs out and followed the vehicle to Anchorage, where it arrived Monday.

Agents replaced the drugs with fake meth and wired the trap door so agents would know when it was opened, prosecutors said.

The same day, Hall and Steilen flew in from Long Beach, Calif., and were picked up by Lisenby. On Tuesday, Hall and Steilen picked up the vehicle from the shipping company and were followed by law enforcement back to Lisenby's home at 4610 E. 102nd Ave.

That's where the trap door alarm went off, prosecutors say. Police and federal agents went in and found Hall, Steilen and Lisenby. Lisenby was holding some of the fake pounds of methamphetamine, prosecutors said.

A search of the residence and Lisenby's vehicle turned up about four pounds of marijuana, more than 16 firearms, body armor, about 3,000 rounds of ammunition and drug paraphernalia, prosecutors said.

Also on Tuesday, authorities got a tip from an informant that the meth was to be sold to Reese. Reese agreed to meet the source and bring $100,000 to put down a payment on the meth, prosecutors say. He was arrested at the Costco on Bragaw Road after he took the fake meth.

Hall, Steilen are charged in federal court in Tacoma, Wash., with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Reese and Lisenby are charged in Anchorage with attempting to possess 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

Both charges carry maximum penalties that include a minimum of 10 years in prison and maximum of life in prison and a $4 million fine.

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/1074968.html
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