Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution

Anchorage, Alaska - U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that San Chiam Saechao of Anchorage was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason to 168 months in prison for his role in possessing with intent to distribute more than two kilograms of methamphetamine.

San Chiam Saechao previously pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine.  In addition to his prison sentence, Saechao was ordered to forfeit approximately $8,900 in cash and two vehicles that he obtained as a result of his drug trafficking activities.

In sentencing Saechao, Judge Gleason emphasized the magnitude of the defendant’s crime, noting that methamphetamine “is a drug that is eating away at the soul of our community.”  She also found it concerning that Saechao appeared to be trafficking in his home while multiple young children were present.

 According to court documents, Saechao distributed methamphetamine over the course of many months, beginning as early as September 2012.  His trafficking activities culminated in January 2013, when he received a package that had contained more than 1.8 kilograms of actual methamphetamine.  At the time, he also had multiple firearms in his possession.

The case was jointly prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan Collins and Stephanie Courter. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which oversees Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), the Anchorage Police Department (APD), the Alaska State Troopers (AST), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).