anchorage drug dealer sentenced to 30 years in federal prison
Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that an Anchorage man was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage to 360 months for his conviction of distribution of controlled substances.
On April 28, 2011, United States District Judge Timothy M. Burgess sentenced Michael Dewayne Barnes, 43, a resident of Anchorage, Alaska.
According to Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin White, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that Barnes met a confidential informant working for the FBI at the Anchorage airport on May 5, 2007. Barnes provided the informant with approximately 6.5 grams of pure methamphetamine.
In 1987, the U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted Barnes for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Barnes received a sentence of five years’ imprisonment. Despite a relatively lengthy jail sentence, Barnes went on to commit numerous other crimes once released. Barnes has at least six prior felony convictions on his record. In recent years, the State of Alaska has successfully prosecuted Barnes for misconduct involving a controlled substance, dangerous drugs, damaging property, weapons offenses, two counts of larceny and two counts of armed robbery. In December of 1990, Barnes robbed a local business at gunpoint in order to get money to purchase a Christmas tree. A few days later, after being released on bail, Barnes entered the Frontier Bingo Parlor and placed a shotgun to the clerk’s face. Barnes demanded money from the clerk, struck the clerk, and absconded with $3,600 in cash.
Based upon Barnes’ prior violent criminal history, Judge Burgess found that Barnes was a career offender and sentenced him to 360 months in prison.
Ms. Loeffler commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Anchorage Police Department, and the State of Alaska Department of Corrections for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Barnes. SAUSA White is one of two prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office who are funded by the Municipality of Anchorage for the purpose of prosecuting gang-related and violent crime cases.
