Anchorage, Alaska - U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that two defendants were arraigned this week in Anchorage on charges involving a drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Albert Diaz Gumataotao, III, 24, of Anchorage, Alaska, and David Alan Gonzales, 54, of Anchorage, Alaska, are charged in the two-count indictment. According to information presented to the court, Gumataotao and Gonzales allegedly possessed 52 grams of pure methamphetamine on March 28, 2013.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin W. Bradley, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of ten million dollars, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Ms. Loeffler commends the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Anchorage Police Department for the investigation of this case. SAUSA Bradley is a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office funded by the Municipality of Anchorage for the purpose of prosecuting gang-related and violent crime cases.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
