Couple Sentenced to 10 Years for Conspiracy to distribute Meth in Ketchikan
October 19, 2016
Lowe, 38, and Keicher, 39, were each sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess to 120 months (10 years) of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for their roles in the drug conspiracy and forfeited $1,524.00 in U.S. Currency and firearms involved in the offense. Lowe has been in federal custody since May 1, 2015, and Keicher has been in federal custody since April 22, 2015. According to information presented to the court by Assistant United States Attorney Jack S. Schmidt, the defendants had moved to Ketchikan from Sitka, Alaska and began distributing methamphetamine from various sources who had obtained the drugs from the Lower 48 using various drug trafficking methods. After the methamphetamine was delivered to Ketchikan, the defendant distributed the drugs to others for subsequent distribution. During the investigation, the defendants’ residence was searched and law enforcement found a total of 72.9 grams of actual methamphetamine and a number of loaded firearms, specifically two semi-auto handguns located in the defendant’s backpacks, a revolver, and assault style rifle located in the defendant’s bedroom in their residence. Prior to imposing sentence on October 17, 2016, Judge Burgess indicated the seriousness of the offense and the need to provided treatment as reasons for the sentence imposed. Lowe and Keicher were indicted by a federal grand jury in Anchorage on April 21, 2015, on drug conspiracy and firearms offenses that occurred in Ketchikan. Keicher was arraigned on April 24, 2015, in U.S. District Court in Juneau and Lowe was arraigned April 29, 2015, in U.S. District Court in Ketchikan before Chief Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith. According to the April 2016 indictment, Lowe and Keicher conspired with each other and others to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in Ketchikan between December 19, 2014, and January 27, 2015. The indictment further alleged that Lowe and Keicher knowingly and intentionally possessed, used, and carried several firearms in furtherance of the underlying drug trafficking crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack S. Schmidt, who presented the case to the grand jury in April, indicated that the law provided for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both, for the drug conspiracy charge and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, consecutive to the drug trafficking crime to life in prison for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a fine of $250,000, or both. United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler commended the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ketchikan Police Department-Drug Unit for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lowe and Keicher.
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Reporting & Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews
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