Anchorage Drug Dealer sentenced in Federal Court

Anchorage, Alaska - U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a resident of Anchorage has been sentenced in federal court in Anchorage for his conviction of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. 

Tristan Jamal Grant, 27, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Sharon L. Gleason to 47 months’ prison.  

 According to information presented to the court by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin White Bradley, who prosecuted the defendant at trial, in November 2011, Grant possessed a total of 1.7 grams of crack cocaine, packaged in thirteen individual bindles.  Law enforcement discovered the crack cocaine while executing an arrest warrant for Grant stemming from two unrelated cases charged by the State of Alaska.  At the time of Grant’s arrest, he also possessed over one thousand dollars in cash and a type of digital scale commonly used to weigh illegal controlled substances.  When the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force found Grant, he was driving a white Cadillac, which was registered to Grant and another individual.  Members of the Task Force observed a Heckler and Koch .40 caliber handgun partially exposed underneath the driver’s seat where Grant had been sitting.  The firearm was loaded with ten rounds of ammunition.  In November 2012, a jury convicted Grant of possessing the crack cocaine with intent to distribute. 

At sentencing, Judge Gleason found that Grant was likely aware of the presence of the firearm, which resulted in a sentencing enhancement.  Judge Gleason also found a sentencing enhancement for obstructing justice, as Grant attempted to influence a witness prior to trial and presented perjured testimony while under oath.  Grant has other felony convictions for robbery, misconduct involving a controlled substance and assault in the third degree for causing fear of injury with a weapon.           

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Gleason noted a need to deter the defendant from further criminal conduct, as well as a need to protect the public from drug trafficking.                      

Ms. Loeffler commends the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Anchorage Police Department for the investigation of this case.  SAUSA Bradley is a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office funded by the Municipality of Anchorage for the purpose of prosecuting gang-related and violent crime cases.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys’ Stephanie Carowan Courter and Kimberly Sayers-Fay participated in the sentencing phase of this case.