Anchorage Men Indicted on Drug Trafficking Charges

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Peter Michael Burno, 45, and Billy Bob Bell, III, 44, were indicted yesterday on drug trafficking charges.

The criminal complaint reports that on or about Oct. 31, 2019, to Nov. 6, 2019, Burno and Bell attempted to possess and distribute meth in Alaska. On Nov. 4, 2019, approximately 8.4 pounds of meth shipped from California was intercepted in Anchorage by U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and local law enforcement agencies.

On Nov. 5, 2019, the package with a representative sample of meth was delivered to the recipient. Two men were waiting in a vehicle at the address and quickly took possession of the package. Law enforcement agencies followed the individuals to Wasilla, Alaska, where the package was opened. Several suspects were taken into custody. Text messages between Burno and the individuals who accepted the package indicated the individuals who accepted the package were retrieving it for Burno because he was in California. Burno was taken into custody when he returned to Anchorage on Nov. 6, 2019.

If convicted, Burno and Bell face a statutory maximum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10M fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release. 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.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw.

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.