Anchorage Drug Dealer Sentenced to 130 Months in Federal Prison

ANCHORAGE—United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced that on March 6, 2009, Edward Lee Cannon, II, a resident of Anchorage, Alaska, was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage to 130 months for his conviction of distribution of controlled substances. Following completion of his sentence of imprisonment, Cannon must serve five years on federal supervised release.

United States District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess imposed the sentence on Cannon, age 27.

According to information presented to the court by Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin White, the defendant sold crack cocaine to a government informant on three separate occasions in 2007. The total amount of crack cocaine distributed by the defendant was 94.7 grams.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Burgess noted the serious nature of the criminal actions in this case, as well as Cannon’s lengthy and significant criminal history. Cannon is also serving a 24-month sentence in state court for forgery in the second degree. In reviewing the defendant’s poor track record, Judge Burgess emphasized a need to protect the public and to deter further crimes of this sort. Judge Burgess also denied the defense request to run this sentence concurrent to Cannon’s state court sentence.

Ms. Loeffler commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Cannon. SAUSA White is one of two prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office who are funded by the Municipality of Anchorage for the purpose of prosecuting gang-related and violent crime cases.