Two Anchorage Residents Charged with 14 Counts of Wire Fraud

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that an Anchorage husband and wife were indicted by a federal grand jury on 14 charges of wire fraud and a scheme to defraud.  In a separate indictment, the husband was charged with narcotics and firearms crimes.  

Arnold Wesley Flowers II, 41, and Miranda May Flowers, 31, were the named defendants in the wire fraud indictment.  Arnold Wesley Flowers II was named as a sole defendant in the narcotics and firearm indictment.

On January 19, 2016, Arnold Wesley Flowers II and Miranda May Flowers reported that their residence had been burglarized.  On January 22, 2016, they contacted State Farm Insurance and filed a claim for $82,000 worth of damages to their residence and stolen electronics, jewelry, and clothing.  During the month of January the Flowers contacted State Farm Insurance by telephone and email regarding the value of the items allegedly taken during the burglary and damage done to their residence.  On March 29, during a search of a storage unit associated with the Flowers, law enforcement found many of the items the Flowers claimed had been stolen during the January 19 burglary.  The investigation revealed that the Flowers had transported the items to the storage unit on January 17, 2016, prior to reporting the burglary at their residence.    

During a search of the Flowers’ residence on March 29, 2016, Arnold Wesley Flowers II was found in possession of cocaine and firearms.  Mr. Flowers has prior convictions for crimes punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Anchorage Police Department, and the State of Alaska Division of Insurance conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.