38 kilograms of fentanyl and 10 kilograms of heroin seized in connection with the organization.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison for leading a local drug trafficking organization responsible for attempting to traffic large amounts of fentanyl and heroin to Alaska from the Lower 48.
According to court documents, Marcelino Juarez, 31, led a conspiracy to purchase fentanyl and heroin in California and transport the substances to Alaska through the mail or in checked airline baggage. Marcelino Juarez conspired with his brother, Julio Juarez, 33, of Anchorage, Shane Murphy, 43, of Wasilla, Semaj Brown, 35, of Anchorage, Brandon Garrett, 46, of Anchorage, and Gustavo Sebastian Lopez-Chavez, 25, a Mexican national illegally residing in the U.S.
Marcelino Juarez, Julio Juarez, Brown and Murphy all traveled between Alaska and California on multiple occasions to obtain drugs and contributed money toward drug purchase trips. The Juarez brothers and Brown had connections to California and were identified as known gang members by the Stockton Police Department in California.
Court documents explain that Marcelino Juarez was identified as a drug supplier in Anchorage as early as September 2022. On Sept. 13, 2022, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on a trailer in Anchorage that Marcelino Juarez was living in. Law enforcement seized over $71,000 in cash and a Draco AK style pistol with a loaded magazine from the trailer.
Law enforcement’s investigation into the conspiracy culminated on Aug. 22, 2024, when agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) identified a suspicious parcel destined for a residence in Anchorage. On Aug. 26, 2024, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on the parcel and seized over two kilograms of fentanyl powder from the package. Later that day, law enforcement officials conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel at the destined location. Marcelino Juarez was observed entering the residence, which belonged to a third-party, and leaving with the package in a vehicle with Brown. Marcelino Juarez and Brown met with another vehicle at a local gas station before both vehicles were contacted by law enforcement through traffic stops. Marcelino Juarez was arrested during the traffic stop, and Garrett, who was an occupant in the other vehicle, was detained.
Through further investigation, law enforcement also discovered that Brown and Murphy flew from Anchorage to Los Angeles to purchase heroin and fentanyl from multiple sources between July 3 and 5, 2024. Law enforcement later determined that one of the sources was Lopez-Chavez.
On July 6, 2024, law enforcement at the Los Angeles International Airport seized roughly one kilogram of heroin and two kilograms of fentanyl powder from a checked bag destined for Anchorage. When Murphy and Brown arrived in Alaska, they noted that the suitcase did not arrive.
U.S. Attorneys Office, District of Alaska; U.S. vs. Juarez et al. Case #: 3:24-cr-00103
U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska; U.S. vs. Juarez et al, Case #: 3:24-cr-00103
On Nov. 14, 2024, the FBI arrested Lopez-Chavez in Los Angeles. He was found to be in possession of roughly 23 kilograms of fentanyl, U.S. currency and counterfeit immigration documents.
In total, law enforcement seized at least 36 kilograms of fentanyl and roughly 10 kilograms of heroin connected to the drug trafficking conspiracy. According to court documents in this case, the price for fentanyl in Alaska, specifically, can be 10, 50 or 100 times the cost to buy powder or pills in California, making drug trafficking from the Lower 48 a lucrative business.
U.S. Attorneys Office, District of Alaska; U.S. vs. Juarez et al. Case #: 3:24-cr-00103
U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska; U.S. vs. Juarez et al, Case #: 3:24-cr-00103
“The Juarez brothers were driven by greed and moved to Alaska to profit from and exploit people’s vulnerabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman. “They made a mistake in thinking they could target Alaskans. Now, they will face the consequences. This case is a great example of the incredible partnerships Alaskan law enforcement agencies foster to share resources and make an impact on an issue that directly impacts our state.”
“The Juarez brothers, along with their co-conspirators, are known California gangsters who moved to Alaska for the sole purpose of trafficking fentanyl and other dangerous drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “In this collaborative, multi-agency investigation spanning from California to Alaska, FBI Anchorage and our HIDTA law enforcement partners not only interdicted significant quantities of drugs intended for distribution, but also removed these dangerous traffickers from our streets, protecting both Alaskans and Californians.”
On July 28, 2025, Marcelino Juarez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. In handing down the sentence, the Court also ordered Marcelino Juarez to pay a $50,000 fine and serve 20 years on supervised release upon completion of his custodial sentence.
Additional information for each co-defendant is as follows:
On July 17, 2025, Julio Juarez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. On Jan. 8, 2026, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. He is also required to pay a $40,000 fine.
On April 10, 2025, Murphy pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2026.
On July 21, 225, Brown pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. On Jan. 15, 2026, he was sentenced to nine years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
On July 31, 2025, Garrett pleaded guilty to one count of attempted possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2026.
One June 16, 2025, Lopez-Chavez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. On Jan. 20, 2026, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Alaska High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Mat-Su Narcotics Team investigated this case. Special assistance was provided by HIDTA’s Southcentral Area-wide Narcotics Team (SCAN), Fairbanks Area-wide Narcotics Team (FANT), and Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team (AAIT); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), FBI Los Angeles Field Office, FBI Sacramento Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Los Angeles Special Response Team, Los Angeles Police Department, Stockton Police Department, and California Highway Patrol. The Anchorage Police Department and Alaska State Troopers also provided assistance as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bradley, Jack Schmidt, and Bill Reed are prosecuting the case.
