Three Ketchikan Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Money Laundering Conspiracy

ANCHORAGE—Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Feldis announced today that three Ketchikan residents were sentenced in Juneau to federal prison on money laundering conspiracy charges.

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess sentenced Ketchikan residents Francisco Arca Seludo to 87 months in prison; Herman Arca Seludo, Jr. to 46 months in prison; and Jeremiah Miguel Perez to 50 months in prison for their roles in a money laundering conspiracy.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack S. Schmidt, who prosecuted the case, the charges arose from state of Alaska drug investigations that resulted in the defendants being charged with distributing methamphetamine. Francisco Seludo, 42, was contacted by the Ketchikan Police Department on November 1, 2011, after receiving a package containing approximately eight ounces of methamphetamine. Herman Seludo, 34, was stopped by Ketchikan Police on December 21, 2010, and police found 20 baggies of methamphetamine inside a jacket owned by Seludo. A search warrant executed at Seludo’s residence revealed three handguns, one of which was stolen, as well as ammunition, drug ledgers, and drug proceeds. While on release, Herman Seludo was arrested again on February 8, 2012, after a search warrant of his residence resulted in the recovery of 26.2 grams of methamphetamine, packaging materials, drug ledgers, drug paraphernalia, a digital scale, and over $1,100 in cash. Jeremiah Perez, 35, was stopped by Ketchikan Police on Feburary 7, 2012, and a search of his person resulted in the seizure of three grams of methamphetamine, along with $980 in cash. All defendants were charged by the state of Alaska with drug distribution.

As a result of the defendants arrests, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted a financial investigation of Francisco and Herman Seludo’s and Perez’s bank and wire remittance transactions, which revealed that between January 2008 to November 2011, Francisco Seludo laundered over $400,000; between April 2008 and February 2012, Herman Seludo laundered $41,150; and between June 2010 to November 2011, Perez laundered $44,810. This investigation led to the federal money laundering charges to which the defendants pled guilty. All defendants laundered the drug proceeds in order to promote drug trafficking or to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the drug proceeds. Francisco Seludo was convicted of state drug charges and was sentenced to serve two years in that case. Herman Seludo was convicted of two state drug charges and sentenced in state court to a composite sentence of four years to serve. Perez was convicted of drug charges and sentenced two years to serve. Judge Burgess made the defendants federal convictions for money laundering concurrent to their state sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Burgess stated the serious of the offense, deterrence of the defendant and others, the protection of the public, and rehabilitation of the defendants related to their criminal histories as reasons that supported the imposition of the above sentences.

Mr. Feldis commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Ketchikan Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Francisco and Herman Seludo and Jeremiah Perez.