California Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Role in Drug Conspiracy and Money Laundering

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that on Aug. 23, 2018, Enrique Ayon Duenas, 61, of California, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that brought controlled substances, including heroin and methamphetamine, from California into Alaska. Duenas pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and money laundering charges on Oct. 5, 2017. 

According to court documents, between August 2015 to July 2016, Duenas entered into an agreement with co-conspirators to obtain controlled substances, including 1000 grams or more of heroin and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, from sources in California, which were then to be distributed in Alaska.  Additionally, Duenas and others laundered the proceeds from the illegal sale of narcotics through financial institutions located in Alaska and California, with the purpose of concealing the true nature of the money.  For example, the money was laundered by transferring it between Alaska and California by various means, including bank deposits made in Alaska into bank accounts in other people’s names, and thereafter by withdrawals in California.

Two additional co-conspirators were indicted for criminal conduct related to this drug conspiracy. The following defendants have pleaded guilty to criminal charges and have been sentenced to the following prison terms:

• Juan Carlos Hernandez, sentenced to 44 months in prison on April 14, 2018, for drug conspiracy;
• Oscar Josue Maldonado, sentenced to two years in prison on Feb. 27, 2018, for drug conspiracy.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephan A. Collins.