Anchorage resident sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug and gun crimes

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A Mexican national living in Anchorage was sentenced on Friday to 15 years in prison for drug and firearms crimes, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Jesus Alberto Ayalacoria, 39, pleaded guilty in November 2010 to distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and for possessing a firearm during at least one drug deal. At the end of his prison sentence, he will be deported to Mexico.

According to court documents, in April 2010, Ayalacoria sold 56 ounces of meth to a confidential informant for $6,400 in cash. He was arrested by federal authorities on Sept. 16, 2010, after an investigation into his activities revealed he had been distributing methamphetamine in the Anchorage area since 2009.

Following Ayalacoria's arrest, federal agents served a search warrant at his residence where additional drugs and firearms were seized. As part of a plea agreement, Ayalacoria forfeited $1,365 in drug sale proceeds, which were discovered at the time of his arrest.

"This sentencing not only takes another drug smuggler off the street, it demonstrates the serious consequences that narcotics traffickers face for this type of criminal behavior while reaffirming our commitment to rigorous enforcement of our nation's narcotics laws," said Leigh Winchell, special agent in charge of ICE HSI for Alaska.

Prior to imposing the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess noted that Ayalacoria was subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for the drug distribution conviction. In addition, he was subject to a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of an additional five years for the firearm conviction.

ICE HSI was joined in this investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Bottini, District of Alaska, prosecuted this case.