ANCHORAGE MAN SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON
FOR HIS CONVICTION OF DRUG DISTRIBUTION CHARGES

Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Nelson P. Cohen announced today, March 3, 2008, that Richard Tela Suesue, a resident of Anchorage, Alaska, was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage to 60 months for his convictions of attempted distribution of controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances.

Chief United States District Court Judge John W. Sedwick imposed the sentence on Suesue, age 29, of 159 Burton Street, #1, Anchorage, Alaska.

According to information presented to the court by Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin White, the defendant sold controlled substances to a government informant on two separate occasions. During the first drug deal, the defendant agreed to sell 8 grams of crack cocaine to the informant. The defendant was not successful in processing the cocaine into crack, but he actually sold the informant 10.2 grams of cocaine. In the subsequent drug deal, the defendant successfully sold 4.1 grams of crack to the same government informant.

Judge Sedwick found that the 60-month sentence was appropriate, based upon factors detailed in the United States Code, which include the nature of the offense and the criminal history of the defendant.

Mr. Cohen commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Suesue. SAUSA White is one of two prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office who are funded by the Municipality of Anchorage for the purpose of prosecuting gang-related and violent crime cases.