An extensive drug investigation in the Mat-Su Valley, that was sparked by the overdose death of 22-year-old Michael Chalender of Houston, has netted 177 grams of heroin and 8.4 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of $53,000 as well as nine firearms, some of which have been confirmed by troopers to be stolen, the trooper dispatch has revealed.

After the December 1st death of Chalender, Alaska State Troopers Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit in the Mat-Su Valley (SDEU-Mat-Su) opened a drug investigation, and on December 2nd, SDEU and Palmer police contacted 21-year-old Sawyer Gruben as he was leaving 26-year-old Hiram Ducasse’s residence in Palmer. On contact, it was found that Gruben was in possession of 13.46 grams of heroin, and so was arrested and charged with MICS II. Gruben was transported and remanded to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility and his bail was set at $1,500.

The following day, December 3rd, SDEU, Anchorage WAANT, the South Central Investigative Unit, and Palmer police, went back to the Ducasse residence, served a search warrant, and found “35 grams of heroin, a handgun and $8,226,” it was reported by DPS Information Officer Megan Peters.[xyz-ihs snippet=”adsense-body-ad”]

Ducasse was arrested on charges of MICS II. Four other suspects were identified at that time, two Wasilla men, 29-year-old Samuel Hubbard, 28-year-old Michael Trudeau, 23-year-old Angela McCready, and another female known only as “Deb” at that time.

McCready now has an outstanding arrest warrant in the amount of $50,000 issued in her name following an indictment for MICS II.  Trudeau has also been indicted and an outstanding $25,000 arrest warrant was issued for his apprehension.

On December 11th, the four law enforcement agencies served a search warrant on Hubbard’s residence and scooped up 8.4 grams of methamphetamine, 21.7 grams of heroin, eight firearms and $2,164.

By that time, the authority’s investigation had revealed the identity of the woman previously known only to them as “Deb” to be 54-year-old Deborah Thomas of Desert Hot Springs, California. It was also found that she would be traveling to Anchorage from that state the following day.

On December 12th, SDEU and Anchorage WAANT met Thomas as she arrived at the Anchorage airport. Subsequent to that contact, authorities seized 107 grams of heroin that Thomas had concealed internally. She was arrested on MICS II charges and remanded to the Anchorage Jail with her bail set at $20,000.

In total, 11 warrants were served in the case.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adversal-468×60″]

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