Alaska Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Hate Crimes, Drug Trafficking

ANCORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for two acts of hate-motivated property damage and a drug trafficking offense.

According to court documents, in May 2021, Luke Foster, 28, placed stickers with a swastika and the text “WE ARE EVERYWHERE” at eight locations around Anchorage, including the Alaska Jewish Museum, the University of Alaska Anchorage campus and a site associated with the LGBTQ+ community. In September 2021, Foster returned to the Alaska Jewish Museum, where he placed another sticker and carved a swastika into the door. Foster was convicted of two counts of damaging religious property in connection to this conduct.  

During the investigation into the vandalism, investigators also discovered that Foster was using social media to traffic psilocybin mushrooms, a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Foster sold psilocybin to an undercover agent and boasted about his large collection of weapons and his intent to use them to protect his illegal drugs from law enforcement, if necessary.

Federal agents executed a search warrant on Foster’s residence and recovered psilocybin mushrooms, associated drug production items, multiple firearms, firearm ammunition, several thousand dollars in cash, and Nazi-inspired imagery, including a box of swastika stickers. Foster was convicted of an additional count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute for this conduct.

“Mr. Foster’s hateful acts of pro-Nazi vandalism across our city have caused significant harm to multiple communities and his trafficking of drugs put the people of Alaska in danger,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Anti-Semitic crimes and those targeting the LGBTQ+ community have no place here. Our U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and prosecute crimes that target our communities to instill fear and distrust.”

“Mr. Foster’s hate-fueled crimes were meant to threaten and intimidate entire communities, having a wide-ranging impact beyond that of property damage,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office.  “This is why civil rights investigations are among the FBI’s highest priorities.  Together with our law enforcement partners, we stand ready to investigate and hold accountable those who commit civil rights violations against any person or group, and ensure justice for victims of bias-motivated crimes.”

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office, with support from the Anchorage Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James Klugman prosecuted the case.

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