Crime & Courts

2 Anchorage residents face federal charges after $1.2 million drug bust

Two Anchorage residents were charged with drug trafficking after more than $1 million in methamphetamine and heroin was seized by law enforcement, according to federal prosecutors Thursday.

Wilton Eugene Toney, 62, and Denita Ann Love, 58, were indicted on federal drug trafficking charges Tuesday, the U.S. attorney for the District of Alaska said in a written statement. The two were arrested Saturday, public affairs officer Chloe Martin said.

According to charging documents, on Jan. 12, law enforcement seized two parcels at a shipping company's main hub in Anchorage. Inside, they found around 13 pounds of methamphetamine and 3 pounds of heroin.

The next day, law enforcement conducted a "controlled delivery" of the packages, placing electronic devices inside that sent a signal when the parcels were opened.

At 10:30 a.m., Toney picked up the packages at the Barratt Inn Anchorage Airport and took them to his room, prosecutors say.

At 4:45 p.m., officers received a signal from the electronic device that the package was opened.

Officers converged on the room to find Toney and Love inside. Along with the packages, officers found more methamphetamine, heroin, digital scales and three firearms, according to prosecutors.

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Both Toney and Love admitted that they had traveled to California and shipped the drugs back to Alaska, charging documents say.

Alaska State Troopers estimate the seized drugs' street value at $1.2 million, prosecutors say.

A defense attorney in the case did not immediately return requests for comment Thursday afternoon.

Laurel Andrews

Laurel Andrews was a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch News and Alaska Dispatch. She left the ADN in October 2018.

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