Anchorage Gang Leader Receives More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Drug Dealing

ANCHORAGE—United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced that an Anchorage man was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage to 87 months in prison for his conviction of distribution of controlled substances.

On August 4, 2011, John P. Ha, 34, a resident of Anchorage, Alaska, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Ralph R. Beistline.

According to Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin White, who prosecuted the case, Ha sold one kilogram of powder cocaine for $40,000. After Ha’s arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant of his residence and found $126,520 in cash, along with drug paraphernalia and materials used to weigh controlled substances for sale. Ha admitted to law enforcement that he had been selling drugs for two years, with estimated earnings between $100,000 and $200,000. Ha also indicated that he had one cellular telephone dedicated to selling drugs, and his normal price for a kilogram of powder cocaine was $40,000. After his arrest, Ha confirmed that he had been the leader of the “Hamo Tribe” gang at one time, but claimed that the gang was now inactive as the members had “grown up.”

Judge Beistline noted that Ha had not demonstrated any respect for the law and had made a living by targeting vulnerable members of the community addicted to illegal controlled substances. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the cash found in Ha’s residence.

Ms. Loeffler commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Anchorage Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ha. Ms. White is a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office who is funded by the Municipality of Anchorage for the purpose of prosecuting gang-related and violent crime cases.