Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced that Robert Craggs was sentenced yesterday to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Craggs pleaded guilty on May 27, 2016, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and conspiracy to launder money. Craggs’ co-conspirators were previously sentenced.
According to court documents, Craggs has a long history of violating the laws related to illegal drug possession, trafficking, and money laundering. Sometime between January 2013 and July 2014, Craggs entered into an agreement with Joseph Cecil to distribute methamphetamine and heroin throughout Alaska. Cecil, a long time drug trafficker, orchestrated a system wherein drugs were sent to Alaska from California. Craggs himself then took possession of these drugs with the intent to distribute them in Alaska communities.
Furthermore, Craggs conspired with Cecil to launder the proceeds of the drug sales in an attempt to conceal and disguise the nature, source, ownership, and control of the funds. Craggs and Stacy Johnson laundered money for Cecil knowing that the money represented the proceeds of drug sales. Craggs agreed with Cecil to use a series of bank accounts to move money made from the sale of heroin and methamphetamine. Proceeds were deposited in Alaska and withdrawn in California. In other instances, Cecil instructed Craggs and Johnson to send drug sale proceeds via Western Union and Money Gram wire transfers. This money laundering activity further supported the distribution of heroin and methamphetamine in Alaska.
Documents presented to the court noted, in part, “that methamphetamine and heroin trafficking is the latest form of the scourge that is drug trafficking. Both substances destroy lives. The social and moral condemnation associated with this crime is readily apparent. Drug trafficking has no socially redeeming quality. It is a crime that deserves the most severe form of social condemnation.”
The following co-conspirators have been sentenced as part of these efforts:
- Joseph Cecil, aka “Kevin Dupree,” previously sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and conspiracy to launder money;
- Stacy Johnson, previously sentenced to 30 months in prison for conspiracy to launder money;
- Paul Robson, previously sentenced to 63 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine;
- Jennifer Henry, previously sentenced to 60 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine; and
- Shawn Seaman, previously sentenced to 57 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephan Collins, Lead Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Attorney for the District of Alaska. The case was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force which includes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).