Anchorage Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Leading Drug Trafficking Organization
– An Anchorage man, Marcelino Juarez, 31, was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in federal prison for leading a drug trafficking organization responsible for bringing fentanyl and heroin into Alaska.
Juarez led a conspiracy to purchase the drugs in California and transport them to Alaska, utilizing both the U.S. Postal Service and airline baggage, according to court documents. He conspired with at least five others in the operation, including his brother, Julio Juarez, as well as Shane Murphy of Wasilla, Semaj Brown and Brandon Garrett of Anchorage and Gustavo Lopez-Chavez, a Mexican national.
The investigation into Juarez’s activities began as early as September 2022, when law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at a trailer in Anchorage where he was residing. During the search, authorities seized over $71,000 in cash and a Draco AK-style pistol with a loaded magazine.
The case reached a critical point on , when agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified a suspicious parcel addressed to a location in Anchorage. A subsequent search warrant executed on , revealed more than two kilograms of fentanyl hidden within the package.
Law enforcement then conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel. Juarez was observed entering the residence and leaving with the package in a vehicle alongside Semaj Brown. Both vehicles were subsequently stopped, leading to Juarez’s arrest and the detention of Brandon Garrett, who was in the other vehicle.
Further investigation revealed that Brown and Shane Murphy had traveled from Anchorage to Los Angeles between and , to purchase heroin and fentanyl.
Prosecutors stated that the organization moved at least 36 kilograms of fentanyl and 10 kilograms of heroin. Juarez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman stated that the sentence should serve as a warning to those who seek to profit from the harm of Alaskans. “Those who target Alaskans for profit will face the consequences,” he said.
In addition to the 30-year prison sentence, Juarez will also serve 20 years of supervised release and pay a $50,000 fine upon completion of his prison term.
