Two Anchorage residents, Kyoung Seo and Chantel Fields, were arrested following a federal grand jury indictment charging them with conspiring to maintain a drug-involved premise at the Chelsea Inn Hotel (CIH) in Anchorage. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska, FBI Anchorage Field Office Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day, Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case, and Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal John Olson during a press conference at the James M. Fitzgerald U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building.
Court documents state that starting in October 2020, Seo, who owns the CIH, and Fields allegedly worked together and with others to use the hotel for distributing and using controlled substances. Investigators from the FBI and Anchorage Police Department began looking into reports of drug trafficking involving individuals residing at or frequenting the hotel.
According to allegations, Fields used the hotel to store and distribute drugs, directed buyers to dealers living on-site, controlled access to visitors, and enforced a $20 "door fee" for entry.
Law enforcement carried out several investigative actions at CIH since 2020. In February 2025, they executed a search warrant that led to the seizure of nine firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and over 1.2 kilograms of suspected controlled substances.
Records from APD show more than 1,000 emergency calls for service at CIH since 2020. Many calls involved violent crime, domestic disputes, drug crimes—including homicides—and fatal as well as non-fatal overdoses.
On August 22 law enforcement executed search warrants on three locations: CIH and two residences. They seized 11 firearms (including two found behind the front desk), thousands of rounds of ammunition, large amounts of suspected controlled substances, and about $45,000 in cash.
The FBI also obtained a seizure warrant for CIH property on Friday; the U.S. Marshals Service took custody of the building to stop alleged drug trafficking activities there.
Seo and Fields face one count each of conspiracy to maintain a drug-involved premises. Their initial court appearances are scheduled before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Alaska’s District Court at a later date. If convicted they could receive up to 20 years in prison; sentencing will be determined by a federal judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by multiple agencies as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force—including assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Marshals Service; APD High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; and Alaska State Troopers.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Tirpak and Seth Beausang are prosecuting this case.
This investigation falls under Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), an initiative by the Department of Justice focused on countering illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), as well as protecting communities from violent crime and drug trafficking through coordinated efforts such as OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman stated: "An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
