Fairbanks Man Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Tampering with Evidence

ANCHORAGE—U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a Fairbanks resident was sentenced in federal court in Fairbanks, Alaska, for his role in a conspiracy to tamper with evidence regarding a drug case.

Brent Gunnels, a/k/a, “BG,” 32, from Fairbanks, Alaska, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Ralph R. Beistline to six months in prison and two years of supervised release. Gunnels had previously pled guilty to an indictment charging him and his co-conspirators with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh, who prosecuted the case, Gunnels was a friend of Donnell Johnson. Johnson was arrested for his involvement with a drug conspiracy in January 2012, and he directed Gunnels and others to break into his home located in North Pole, Alaska, and remove several incriminating items. On January 28, 2012, Gunnels and others went to Johnson’s residence in North Pole and removed several items from the residence including a drug ledger, a digital scale, and a firearm. Gunnels and the others broke into the home and removed the items before federal law enforcement agents were able to serve a federal search warrant at the residence.

Johnson and his co-defendants are members of a drug trafficking conspiracy that attempted to conceal their drug trafficking by claiming they were involved in a legitimate business and were “artists,” employees, or promoters of an Anchorage recording label and rap and hip hop performance group. Members of this conspiracy would record rap and hip hop songs, post videos on Youtube.com, and perform local shows in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Much of their music glorified the lifestyle of selling illegal narcotics and committing other crimes. The lavish and extravagant lifestyle portrayed in their music and videos was supported by their sales of illegal narcotics.

There was no evidence that Gunnels was involved in Johnson’s drug trafficking conspiracy other than his removal of items from Johnsons residence in January 2012.

Prior to imposing a sentence, Judge Beistline informed the defendant that drug traffickers were poisoning the community, that he had made a choice to interfere with law enforcement, and that he chose to help out those trafficking drugs rather than assist law enforcement.

Gunnels was indicted along with 13 other members of the conspiracy located in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Christopher Anderson was previously sentenced to 14 months in prison on November 2, 2012; DeMarr Moultrie was sentenced to 40 months in prison on May 1, 2013; Jeraelyn Hill was sentenced to 66 months in prison on May 28, 2013; Jerry Wormley was sentenced to 36 months in prison on May 31, 2013; and Rock Phelps, II was sentenced to 18 months in prison on June 14, 2013. Donnell Johnson, Joshua Mustovich, Mihla Hall, Antonio Fleming, Dalon Johnson, Tevoris Carter, and Emma Shine have plead guilty for their roles in connection with the conspiracy and await sentencing. Terrance Fleming has a pending trial scheduled in August 2013.

Ms. Loeffler commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Service, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, and the Anchorage Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Gunnels.