A 35-year-old man from Stockton, California was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroine and methamphetamine.
Ernie Benny Juarez admitted to flying to Anchorage from California in October of last year with the intent of selling drugs. Co-conspirators mailed Juarez and his associates a package containing approximately 385 grams of heroin and more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, according to the U.S. district attorney’s office.
Prior to trafficking drugs in Anchorage, Juarez had been convicted of multiple felonies, including drug crimes in California. U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason sentenced him as a classified career offender.
Several federal and state agencies were involved in the capture of Juarez, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Alaska State Troopers.