Three Alaska Residents Charged With Conspiracy to Smuggle Heroin into Goose Creek Correctional Center

Anchorage, Alaska – Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging three individuals with conspiring to smuggle heroin into the State of Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) Goose Creek Correctional Center (GCCC) for distribution to inmates in April 2016.

Spencer Daniel Johnson, 24, and Kalani Lemauga Maalona, 31, who were both inmates at GCCC at the time of the drug conspiracy, and Heaven Leigh Erick, 28, have been named in the indictment, which charges each of them with drug conspiracy.  Johnson has also been charged with possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea W. Hattan, who presented the case to the grand jury, the charges arise from the seizure of nearly 20 grams of heroin from Johnson on April 11, 2016, three days after the heroin was passed to Johnson at GCCC on April 8, 2016.  Johnson, Maalona, and Erick are presently incarcerated on unrelated state charges. 

The law provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million or both for the charges alleged in the indictment.  Under federal sentencing statutes, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation, with assistance from DOC and the Alaska State Troopers Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics Team (WAANT), leading to the charges in this case.

Charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.