FAIRBANKS – On April 14, 2023, Senior District Judge Ralph R. Beistline of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska sentenced Jason Benjamin O’Bryan, 30, of Fairbanks, Alaska, to 121 months of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release for attempting to distribute 897 grams of methamphetamine and possession of nine firearms.

On March 9, 2021, agents from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) received a suspicious package. USPIS obtained a search warrant for the package and seized 897 grams of methamphetamine. On March 11, 2021, USPIS replaced the 897 grams of methamphetamine with a representative sample and “sham” drugs and performed a controlled delivery. Law enforcement observed Jason O’Bryan retrieved the package and take it inside his residence.  An hour later, surveillance observed O’Bryan leave the residence in his truck; law enforcement initiated a traffic stop and searched the vehicle where they found 50 grams of methamphetamine, 1 gram of heroin, and multiple fentanyl patches and pills. A subsequent search of O’Bryan’s residence resulted in the seizure of additional methamphetamine, heroin, and nine firearms. O’Bryan later confessed that he sold methamphetamine in Fairbanks and intended to distribute the 897 grams. O’Bryan, having a prior felony conviction, also admitted that he knew it was illegal for him to possess the nine firearms.

O’Bryan previously pled guilty to attempted possession and distribution of the 897 grams of methamphetamine and felon in possession of multiple firearms.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), North Slope Borough Police Department, Fairbanks Police Department (FPD), North Pole Police Department (NPD), and Alaska State Troopers (AST) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Tansey and Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.

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  Alaska, drugs, fairbanks, Jason O’Brian, methamphetamine, sentencing, weapons