News and Press Releases

eight defendants charged in conspiracy to launder proceeds of oxycodone distribution plead guilty

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2011

Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that eight people indicted on June 21, 2011, by a federal grand jury in Anchorage for conspiracy to launder the proceeds of oxycodone distribution have now pled guilty.

Anchorage residents Jordan Young, 23, Yale Gene Jordan, 27, Mystri Simmons, 24, and Gary Zaremba, 27; Jaqueline Gattenby, 30, of Kenai; former Alaska residents Christopher Bickell, 24, and Jonathen Gattenby, 28; and California resident Clent Baumann, 43, have all pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

All eight defendants were charged with a conspiracy to traffic narcotics and conspiracy to launder proceeds of the unlawful distribution of controlled substances. All eight defendants were also charged with one or more counts of money laundering.

The indictment alleged that between December 2009, and August 4, 2010, the defendants conspired to posses, with the intent to distribute oxycodone, and to launder the proceeds of the sales of oxycodone. The money-laundering charges alleged 18 financial transactions (wire transfers, deposits and withdrawals) affecting interstate commerce between Alaska and California, totaling over $90,000.

The 2012 sentencing dates for the defendants who have pled guilty are as follows: Yale Gene Jordan – May 1st; Mystri Simmons – March 30th; Gary Zaremba – April 26th; Clent Baumann – May 16th; Christopher Bickell – March 30th; Jonathen Gattenby and Jordan Young – April 27th and Jacqueline Gattenby – April 26th. Jonathen Gattenby’s sentence will run concurrent with the sentence to be imposed in United States District Court, District of Nevada, U. S. v. Jonathen Gattenby, 2:10-cr-547-RLH, which is also a oxycodone/money laundering conspiracy case.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Anchorage Police Department.

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