FAIRBANKS—United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced Wednesday, February 1, 2012, that six residents of Fairbanks, Alaska, were arrested during a joint federal and state takedown.

The six individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in Anchorage on January 19, 2012, on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute powder, crack cocaine, and oxycodone pills in Fairbanks. The indictment alleges that the conspiracy began in June 2010, and continued through March 2011. The indictment detailed nearly 30 transactions involving six different named co-conspirators who had distributed illegal controlled substances.

The indictment names Martin Linenko a/k/a, “Yae Neech,” a/k/a “Neech,” a/k/a “Marty,” age 25; Cornelious Snowden, a/k/a “Bobby,” age 33; Tremain Wilson, a/k/a “Tex,” a/k/a “Lil Tex,” age 25; Johnny Toussaint, a/k/a “Blaze,” age 29; Adrian Steele, a/k/a “BG,” age 21; and Tyrone Kimble, a/k/a “Tizzy,” age 28, as defendants.

The indictment alleges that Linenko, Snowden, Wilson, Toussaint, Steele, and Kimble, all distributed crack, powder cocaine, or oxycodone pills in exchange for money between June 2010, and March 2011. The indictment alleges that members of the conspiracy attempted to conceal the illegal activities of the conspiracy by claiming the members were involved in a legitimate business, specifically, that they were “artists” or employees of local Fairbanks record labels. These record labels have business licenses held in the names of members of the conspiracy, “20 Blocc Entertainment” and “Oil Money Entertainment.”

All six defendants were arrested in the early morning hours on Wednesday, February 1, 2012. At the time of the arrests a combination of Fairbanks Police, Alaska State Troopers, University of Alaska Fairbanks Police, North Pole Police, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshals Service, and United States Fish and Wildlife Service served federal search warrants at six separate residences in Fairbanks where all six defendants were suspected of staying. At these locations, agents found two loaded handguns, several ounces of powder cocaine, marijuana, scales used to weigh illegal narcotics, and several thousand dollars in United States currency.

The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Fairbanks District Attorney’s office. The law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison with a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.