An Anchorage man, Andrew Lee, 42, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing drugs with the intent to distribute while on parole. Upon release, he will serve five years on supervised release. The sentence follows a refusal of a routine search at his residence by parole officers.
Court documents reveal that on October 20, 2022, two Alaska Department of Corrections parole officers visited Lee's home for a routine search under his parole conditions from a previous second-degree murder conviction. During the visit, inconsistencies in Lee's statements led to further investigation.
Parole officers discovered drug paraphernalia in Lee's vehicle and faced resistance when attempting to search certain areas of the residence. This resulted in Lee being detained and later arrested after refusing to comply with the search.
At the Anchorage Correctional Complex, correctional officers found $1,500 in cash and significant quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl on Lee's person. A federal grand jury indicted him on January 18, 2024, and he pleaded guilty on April 11, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman stated: “Mr. Lee participated in the dangerous drug trade while on parole for a violent felony—and will now spend 10 years behind bars for it.” He emphasized that this sentence serves as a message about pursuing drug traffickers.
Special Agent Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office commented: “While on parole, the defendant continued to threaten the safety of our communities by committing federal drug trafficking crimes.”
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody Tirpak.
