A 37-year-old Anchorage man was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for heroin distribution and spraying a police officer with bear spray to avoid arrest, according to the district attorney's office.
In November 2011, a police officer pulled over Stephen Dubois on Spenard Road. Dubois pulled in front of the Bear Tooth Theatrepub, and as the officer approached his vehicle, Dubois looked back "calmly" and hit him in the face with bear spray, Assistant District Attorney Jack McKenna said in a prepared statement.
The bear spray caused the officer to run blindly into the street, McKenna said. Dubois drove off.
According to the state, Dubois assaulted the officer to avoid arrest on an outstanding warrant for heroin distribution charges.
In the drug case, a probation search on Dubois led to the discovery of a half-ounce of heroin, scales, small baggies, injection kits, handguns and a large amount of cash. Dubois also had 5 grams of heroin in his personal possession, McKenna said.
"The judge noted that Dubois no doubt has a serious addiction problem and hoped that a period of additional probation would help give him the support he obviously needed," he said.