U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker | U.S. Department of Justice
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska has indicted an Anchorage man on charges of possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute and possessing a "ghost gun" as a felon.
According to court documents, on June 9, 2024, James McKinley, 37, was found unconscious behind the wheel of a running vehicle in a handicapped parking space in Anchorage. Officers from the Anchorage Police Department contacted McKinley, who attempted to flee by ramming the police vehicle. When he was unable to escape via his vehicle, he allegedly tried to flee on foot but was apprehended at the scene.
Court documents further allege that officers searched McKinley and his vehicle and discovered fentanyl powder and pills, methamphetamine, $35,000 in cash, and a loaded pistol with no serial number modified for fully automatic fire. These firearms are referred to as "ghost guns" due to their lack of serial numbers or other means of tracing their origins. At the time of the offense, McKinley had three prior convictions for misconduct involving controlled substances under Alaska law.
McKinley is charged with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being an armed career criminal in possession of firearms and ammunition. He is scheduled for his initial court appearance on July 30. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 45 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating this case as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force with significant assistance from the Anchorage Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Klugman and Mac Caille Petursson are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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