S. Lane Tucker, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office District of Alaska
A federal grand jury in Alaska has indicted a Washington man for distributing and conspiring to distribute controlled substances that led to the fatal overdoses of two individuals in Skagway in 2023.
Court documents reveal that from January 1 to January 13, 2023, Jacob Cotton, aged 33, allegedly conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a substance containing fentanyl. During this period, he also allegedly distributed a controlled substance containing fentanyl to another person.
On January 13, 2023, a 28-year-old man reportedly died after overdosing on fentanyl distributed by Cotton. The next day, a 44-year-old man also died after an overdose linked to the conspiracy.
Cotton faces charges of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. He made his initial court appearance on January 31 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble at the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, Cotton could face between 20 years and life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The announcement was made by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Vogel of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge David Reames of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Seattle Field Division, and Skagway Police Chief Jerry Reddick.
The DEA Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, along with the Skagway Police Department as part of the Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs Task Force (SEACAD), are conducting the investigation into this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt is prosecuting the case.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
