Last of Four Family Members Convicted in Federal Court of Cocaine Conspiracy and Distribution

ANCHORAGE, AK—Acting United States Attorney Kevin Feldis announced that on June 8, 2010, the last of four Anchorage family members charged with federal narcotics crimes pled guilty today in federal court in Anchorage to distribution of crack cocaine and drug conspiracy.

Dahmir Hale, 22, a resident of Anchorage, Alaska, pled guilty today before Chief United States District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline.

Hale admitted to distributing a total of 92.5 grams of crack cocaine on three occasions between February and July of 2009. He admitted to cooperating with Dwayne Dollison, Jr., Dwayne Dollison Sr., and Kenneth Martin Douglas, three relatives who each previously pled guilty before Judge Beistline of similar crimes last week.

Dwayne Dollison Jr., Dahmir Hale and Kenneth Douglas are half-brothers; Dwayne Dollison, Sr. is the father of all three men. On June 4, 2010, Kenneth Martin Douglas pled guilty to distributing a total of 40.3 grams of crack cocaine on three occasions in 2009, in cooperation with Dollison Jr., Hale and Dollison Sr. Dwayne Dollison, Sr. pled guilty on June 3, 2010 to distributing a total of 17.7 grams of crack cocaine and 10.3 grams of cocaine on four occasions, again in cooperation with the same individuals. On June 2, 2010, Dwayne Dollison, Jr. pled guilty to conspiracy with Hale, Douglas and Dollison, Sr. to distribute crack cocaine, and admitted to personally distributing 53.5 grams of crack cocaine in cooperation with Hale on a single occasion in June 2009.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Craig M. Warner, who prosecuted the case, all four men were apprehended after an undercover operation mounted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Over a period of approximately six months, agents with both agencies successfully infiltrated the Dollison drug operation and documented seven sales of crack cocaine by its four members. Dollison Jr, Dollison Sr., Hale and Douglas were each observed conducting a drug transaction in cooperation with at least one co-defendant. During their guilty plea hearings, Dollison, Jr., Dollison Sr., Hale and Douglas each admitted conducting these transactions. Dwayne Dollison, Jr. further admitted obtaining cocaine from suppliers in Alaska and then distributing it among his brothers and father for resale.

Judge Beistline scheduled sentencing for the four men in August of 2010. According to Mr. Warner, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $2 million, or both, for Dollison Sr. and Douglas, and a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $4 million, or both, for Dollison, Jr. and Hale.