A man and a woman accused of participating in a meth-by-mail drug deal will plead guilty, according to court records and federal Assistant Public Defender Jamie McGrady.
Christian Peters will plead guilty to one count of felony drug conspiracy, according to a federal district court plea deal signed Oct. 12. Tiffany Spaulding, accused in the same drug deal, has not yet signed a plea deal but will be changing her plea, McGrady said by email.
In August, Spaulding and Peters were arrested after federal and local law enforcement officers searched their home at 427 Fourth St.
According to an affidavit submitted by U.S. Postal Service Inspector Aaron Behnen, the pair were the recipients of a mailed package containing 50 oxycodone pills and 221 grams (slightly less than half a pound) of methamphetamine mixture.
The drugs were hidden in a large can of coffee, according to the affidavit.
Behnen identified the package, addressed to a “Rosetta Stone” at the Fourth Street address, and opened it as part of his job to investigate the transportation of controlled substances through the mail, he said.
Behnen found the drugs in the package, then resealed it with a tracking device and a liberal amount of “clue spray” inside, he said. The spray glows under a black light, revealing whether someone has opened a particular package.
When the tracking device indicated the package had been opened, police arrived.
According to Behnen’s affidavit, Peters had clue spray from the coffee container and its contents on his pants and inside a pocket; there also was evidence of the clue spray on a pair of gloves inside the house.
By pleading guilty to felony drug conspiracy, Peters will spend between five and 40 years in prison and pay a fine of up to $5 million. When released from jail, Peters will be supervised for at least four years and possibly as long as life. That sentence will be set at a future date.
It is not clear what penalty Spaulding would face under any plea deal.
• Contact reporter James Brooks at james.k.brooks@juneauempire.com or call 523-2258.
