Six people have been charged in a Petersburg drug bust and warrants have been issued for at least two more.
The arrests were made after a year-and-a-half-long investigation by the regional task force Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs, or SEACAD. In April of 2022, officers seized $177,400 worth of methamphetamine, heroin, suspected fentanyl pills and crack cocaine, as well as $4,800 in cash in Petersburg.
No arrests were made at the time. On Oct. 26, 2023, warrants were issued for Palmer Thomassen Jr., Amanda Loucks, Austin Strickland, Edward Rayborn, Dazzlin Frentz and Gaberiel Volk. The Petersburg Police Department and members of SEACAD arrested Thomassen, Loucks, Rayborn, Frentz, and Volk in Petersburg on Nov. 1. Strickland was arrested by the Juneau Police Department on Nov. 2 in Juneau.
All six suspects are Petersburg residents.
Thomassen, Strickland, and Rayborn are being charged with multiple felony counts of trafficking fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine.
Loucks is being charged with multiple felony counts of trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.
Frentz and Volk are being charged with multiple felony counts of trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine.
The six were indicted on Oct. 26 by a grand jury in Juneau, according to a press release from the Juneau Police Department.
All six suspects have pleaded not guilty on all counts.
Public defenders for Loucks, Strickland, Rayborn, and Frentz could not be reached for comment. Volk’s private attorney declined to comment, stating that he does not know enough about the case yet.
There are still outstanding warrants for two other people – Ariel Eiler and Kristine Peeler.
Petersburg Police Chief Jim Kerr declined to comment for this story, stating that the case is still active.
Strickland has been released on bail in Juneau. Thomassen, Loucks, and Volk have been released on bail in Petersburg. Frentz and Rayborn remain in custody at the Petersburg Police Department.
