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

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

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

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

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

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

Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

U.S. Dept of Justice - District of Alaska
www.justice.gov

 

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