A Kodiak man, Gerry Pugal, 38, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy that led to a fatal fentanyl overdose in August 2022. The sentencing took place in Anchorage.
According to court documents, while on pretrial release for state felony charges from March 2022, Pugal agreed to distribute drugs in Kodiak on behalf of a drug trafficking organization. This group was allegedly operated by an inmate serving a life sentence in California. Members of the organization mailed drugs to Pugal, who then distributed them through lower-level dealers working under him. Two of these dealers were identified as Ashley Katelnikoff and Kalani Coyle.
On August 25, 2022, Katelnikoff arranged via text message to sell five M-30 fentanyl pills—referred to as “blues”—to a male victim for $300. Later that evening, Katelnikoff delivered the pills after picking up the victim at his hotel. The next morning, the victim’s mother found him deceased in their hotel room bathroom. Investigators discovered evidence of pill use and lab tests confirmed he had a lethal amount of fentanyl in his system.
Despite the fatal overdose incident, court records show that Pugal continued distributing drugs for the organization. On October 23, 2022, Kodiak Police executed an arrest warrant at Pugal’s residence following a petition to revoke his state supervision. Officers found him hiding inside a refrigerator with fentanyl pills and methamphetamine.
Pugal was arrested but later released on bond by state authorities.
In November 2022, U.S. Postal Inspectors intercepted a suspicious package sent from California to Kodiak containing over 880 grams of methamphetamine, more than 50 grams of cocaine and nearly 5,000 fentanyl pills—valued at over $500,000 on the street. Agents seized the contents and placed a tracking device inside before delivering it as part of their investigation.
Law enforcement observed co-defendant Coyle collect and move the package between locations before eventually discovering the tracking device and returning it to Pugal’s residence where both men were detained by officers.
On October 28, 2025, Pugal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death. As part of his sentence handed down today by the Court, he will also serve supervised release for life upon completion of his prison term.
“Mr. Pugal recruited those close to him to do his dirty work and profited off the vulnerable population in Kodiak with zero regard for consequences or for the rule of law. Now, he will spend the next two decades behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “This case is a tragic reminder of the phrase ‘One Pill Can Kill,’ because it is likely that one pill originating from Mr. Pugal had just enough fentanyl in it to kill this victim.”
“Fentanyl traffickers like Mr. Pugal make a profit by peddling poison and while he distributed the fentanyl that led to a fatal overdose, that didn’t stop him; he continued dealing drugs,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge at DEA Seattle Field Division.“The sentence today shows these actions have grave consequences and Mr.Pugal will not be a threat tothe healthand safetyof our communityfor many years.DEA remains unwaveringin our commitmentto saving American livesand making America Fentanyl Free.”
Co-defendants include Ashley Katelnikoff—who pleaded guilty on August 4th ,2025,to one countof conspiracyto distributeand possesswith intentto distributecontrolled substancesresulting indeath.Katelnikoff isscheduledtobe sentencedon April2nd ,2026.KalaniCoylepleadedguiltyon July2nd ,2025,toonecountof attemptedpossessionofa controlledsubstancewithintenttodistribute.CoylewassentencedtofederalprisonforfiveyearsonNovember20th ,2025.
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including DEA Seattle Division Office,the Anchorage District Office,U.S.Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile,the IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office,the Alaska State Troopers,andtheKodiakPoliceDepartment.AssistantU.S.AttorneysAlanaWeber ,ChrisSchroeder,andStephanCollinsprosecutedthecase.This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America,a nationwide DepartmentofJustice initiative targeting illegal immigration,cross-border crime,anddrugtrafficking organizations.
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