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ANCHORAGE -- Five Valley residents are among eight people facing federal drug
and money laundering charges. They're accused of selling equipment they knew
would be used for marijuana growing operations.
The indictments handed down in May by an Anchorage federal grand jury were
unsealed last week after the arrest of seven defendants. An eighth person named
in the indictments was already in jail on an earlier drug conviction.
Among those lodged at Cook Inlet Pre-Trial Facility is Waymon R. Price, 44, of
Big Lake. The former owner of Brandy's Hydroponics is charged with knowingly
selling marijuana growing equipment in October 2001 from his Big Lake store
to a
person he believed was going to use the equipment to grow marijuana for
distribution. He also is charged with money laundering.
Price was at the center of a recent dispute with U.S. Customs officials,
claiming they damaged his semitrailer and its contents after seizing the
vehicle
Aug. 19 at the Alaska-Canada border. Customs officials said two drug-sniffing
dogs "alerted" for marijuana at the same spot in the truck.
Price, however, vehemently denied involvement with drugs.
"I've worked my butt off for what I got," he said in an earlier interview about
the incident. "It sure didn't come from that direction."
Steven M. Walker, 42, of Wasilla, was charged with knowingly selling marijuana
growing equipment to a person he believed was going to use it to grow pot for
distribution, as well as money laundering. Walker is the former owner of Far
North Garden Supply.
Diane J. Hill and Larry D. Hill of Big Lake were charged with conspiracy to
grow
marijuana, growing marijuana, and maintaining a place to grow marijuana
stemming
from activities in September 2001.
Robert McKenna, 51, of Wasilla, and Robert C. Hosie, 59, of Anchorage, were
charged with conspiracy, attempted distribution of marijuana, and distribution
of marijuana for alleged activities between September and November 2000. In
addition, McKenna was charged with distributing cocaine.
Clyde D. Fowler, 60, of Anchorage, and Matthew Skonieczki, 49, of Anchorage,
were charged with conspiracy, distribution of marijuana, and money laundering.
They allegedly used Advanced Hydroponics in Anchorage as a place to distribute
marijuana between December 2002 and March.
Zoran Yankovich, Drug Enforcement Agency assistant special agent for Alaska,
said specifics of the crimes made them federal violations, rather than
crimes to
be handled by state or local officers.
"It becomes a federal violation if someone uses a legitimate business to
further
drug trafficking," he said. "It's not just selling grow equipment, but selling
it knowingly to people who would grow drugs. That's what we were looking at."
Federal agents made undercover purchases of marijuana starter plants, growing
equipment, and cocaine during the three-year investigation, said U.S. Attorney
Tim Burgess.
"Alaska's marijuana growers rely almost exclusively upon indoor growing methods
to produce their crops," he said. "They cannot grow marijuana without these
light systems."
Source: Frontiersman, The (AK)
Contact editor@alaska.net
Website: frontiersman.com | Growing with Alaska's Mat-Su Valley since 1947
Address: 5751 E. Mayflower Ct., Wasilla, AK, 99654
Fax: (907) 352-2276
Copyright: 2003 The Frontiersman
Pubdate: September 15, 2003
Author: Steve Kadel
and money laundering charges. They're accused of selling equipment they knew
would be used for marijuana growing operations.
The indictments handed down in May by an Anchorage federal grand jury were
unsealed last week after the arrest of seven defendants. An eighth person named
in the indictments was already in jail on an earlier drug conviction.
Among those lodged at Cook Inlet Pre-Trial Facility is Waymon R. Price, 44, of
Big Lake. The former owner of Brandy's Hydroponics is charged with knowingly
selling marijuana growing equipment in October 2001 from his Big Lake store
to a
person he believed was going to use the equipment to grow marijuana for
distribution. He also is charged with money laundering.
Price was at the center of a recent dispute with U.S. Customs officials,
claiming they damaged his semitrailer and its contents after seizing the
vehicle
Aug. 19 at the Alaska-Canada border. Customs officials said two drug-sniffing
dogs "alerted" for marijuana at the same spot in the truck.
Price, however, vehemently denied involvement with drugs.
"I've worked my butt off for what I got," he said in an earlier interview about
the incident. "It sure didn't come from that direction."
Steven M. Walker, 42, of Wasilla, was charged with knowingly selling marijuana
growing equipment to a person he believed was going to use it to grow pot for
distribution, as well as money laundering. Walker is the former owner of Far
North Garden Supply.
Diane J. Hill and Larry D. Hill of Big Lake were charged with conspiracy to
grow
marijuana, growing marijuana, and maintaining a place to grow marijuana
stemming
from activities in September 2001.
Robert McKenna, 51, of Wasilla, and Robert C. Hosie, 59, of Anchorage, were
charged with conspiracy, attempted distribution of marijuana, and distribution
of marijuana for alleged activities between September and November 2000. In
addition, McKenna was charged with distributing cocaine.
Clyde D. Fowler, 60, of Anchorage, and Matthew Skonieczki, 49, of Anchorage,
were charged with conspiracy, distribution of marijuana, and money laundering.
They allegedly used Advanced Hydroponics in Anchorage as a place to distribute
marijuana between December 2002 and March.
Zoran Yankovich, Drug Enforcement Agency assistant special agent for Alaska,
said specifics of the crimes made them federal violations, rather than
crimes to
be handled by state or local officers.
"It becomes a federal violation if someone uses a legitimate business to
further
drug trafficking," he said. "It's not just selling grow equipment, but selling
it knowingly to people who would grow drugs. That's what we were looking at."
Federal agents made undercover purchases of marijuana starter plants, growing
equipment, and cocaine during the three-year investigation, said U.S. Attorney
Tim Burgess.
"Alaska's marijuana growers rely almost exclusively upon indoor growing methods
to produce their crops," he said. "They cannot grow marijuana without these
light systems."
Source: Frontiersman, The (AK)
Contact editor@alaska.net
Website: frontiersman.com | Growing with Alaska's Mat-Su Valley since 1947
Address: 5751 E. Mayflower Ct., Wasilla, AK, 99654
Fax: (907) 352-2276
Copyright: 2003 The Frontiersman
Pubdate: September 15, 2003
Author: Steve Kadel
