A Department of Corrections officer assigned to Goose Creek Correctional Complex was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession of a controlled substance.
DOC officials contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier this month when they began to suspect one of their officers, Adam Spindler, was distributing drugs to inmates at GCCC, according to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent Richard Fuller.
On May 23, the FBI and a DOC K9 team arrived at GCCC, the same day Spindler was spotted with a “suspected female drug courier,” Fuller explained. Surveillance footage from GCCC showed Spindler waiting by his vehicle in the parking lot, watching the K9 team.
“Spindler was suspicious of the Alaska Department of Corrections K-9 vehicle that was across the parking lot,” Fuller stated. “Spindler voiced his concern to a fellow CO and told [them] that he had some personal use marijuana on him, which Spindler did not want the K-9 to detect.”
Spindler gave the CO a bag, which the CO took off the property. Spindler went into GCCC and was detained, allowing the K9 team and FBI to search his vehicle, which had no drugs. A search of Spindler also revealed no drugs, but Fuller said the CO Spindler spoke with in the parking lot learned of the searches.
“[The CO] had received a call from other GCCC personnel telling [them] the FBI was at GCCC searching Spindler’s vehicle,” according to Fuller. “At that time, [the CO] took the bag of marijuana out of [their pocket] to examine it further.”
In the bag, the CO found heroin and marijuana, which they brought back to GCCC and turned over. At least 1.67 grams of heroin was in the bag, more than the legal limit for the intent to distribute. There was also .515 grams of marijuana.
In a Mirandized interview with the FBI, Spindler admitted he planned to give the drugs to a GCCC inmate. He also admitted to giving the drugs to the CO to avoid being caught with drugs by the K9 team.
Spindler was arrested and is awaiting trial at the Cook Inlet Pretrial Facility, according to online records.
Tuesday evening, DOC spokesman Corey Allen Young said no further information would be released until a press conference Wednesday morning. Court records show Spindler has worked for the DOC since April 2013.
