ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Early Friday morning, a significant law enforcement operation took place around the Chelsea Inn Hotel in Spenard, where officers carried out a federal search warrant that included the use of flashbangs.
UPDATE – August 25, 1:15 p.m.
Two people from Anchorage were taken into custody after police executed a search warrant at the Chelsea Inn on Friday.
“The air has a different feel here. I actually heard children playing outside on Saturday, and that’s the first time in probably a year that I’ve heard kids outside. People are walking around again, and you can clearly see a big change in everyone; it seems like everyone is feeling a sense of relief,” said Dawn Wrobleski, the owner of the nearby Dolphin Hair Design.
A federal grand jury issued an indictment accusing the owner of the Chelsea Inn, Kyoung Seo, 62, and Chantel Fields, 36, of conspiring to operate a property associated with drug activity. The allegations were disclosed by Michael J. Heyman, U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, during a press briefing in Anchorage on Monday.
“I also hope this case will act as a model and a caution to those selling drugs in our neighborhoods that are contributing to violent crime,” Heyman stated.
Legal filings state that Seo and Fields started working together with others to operate the hotel for the distribution of restricted substances starting in October 2020. According to the allegations, Fields utilized the Chelsea Inn as a location to keep and distribute narcotics and instructed individuals seeking to purchase drugs to contact dealers who resided on the property.
The Department of Justice states that the FBI and Anchorage Police Department have been looking into claims of drug trafficking at the hotel since 2020.
Police previously carried out a search warrant that led to the confiscation of nine guns, hundreds of bullets, and more than 1.2 kilograms of suspected illegal drugs.
We have also begun connecting with social service agencies and local partners right after this operation was completed,” said Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case on Monday. “Within a few hours, we managed to get three people into treatment.
It’s not solely about the arrests and the criminal activity; it’s also about looking after those who remain.
The Friday operations took place at the Chelsea Inn and the homes of Seo and Field. Authorities found 11 guns, suspected illegal drugs, including what is thought to be fentanyl, and about $45,000.
“Hotel operation record-keeping involved a spiral-bound notebook that listed rooms and outstanding amounts, with the amounts crossed out or added as needed,” said Rebecca Day, an FBI special agent leading the Anchorage field office.
Only street names, if any names, appeared in the book. Because of the extensive drug trafficking and other illegal activities that remained unchecked by its owners and operators, we chose to implement a decisive strategy.
Fields and SEO were taken into FBI custody and are currently being held. They are facing a single charge of conspiracy to operate a premises involved in drug activities. If found guilty, they could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The Chelsea Inn is currently managed by the U.S. Marshals Service. The FBI Anchorage Field Office and APD are conducting an investigation into this matter.
Aug. 22, 12:45 p.m.
The noise began around 6 a.m. on Friday, involving officers from the Anchorage Police Department, the FBI, and additional organizations.
In a statement provided to Alaska’s News Source, Chloe Martin from the FBI stated the following:
Today, the FBI, in collaboration with the Anchorage Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, carried out a federal search warrant as part of a federal drug investigation at the Chelsea Inn.
We have specialized law enforcement units, including several FBI SWAT teams… we also have the FBI’s evidence collection team… this is still an ongoing scene… at this moment, I don’t have any information indicating an increased threat to public safety.
Later, Martin verified that law enforcement used flashbangs to gain entry into the hotel and then into individual rooms. Guests at the hotel reported being cuffed and taken to the parking lot of a nearby establishment before being let go.
Martin stated that securing individuals with handcuffs to escort them out is standard procedure during a high-risk search warrant to ensure officer safety.
Outreach staff and members of APD’s CAP Team were also present, discussing with residents where they would spend the night.
One employee mentioned they were actively seeking out shelter and treatment facilities for those in need.
The move received praise from local residents who shared with Alaska’s News Source that the Chelsea Inn had been a problematic location for over a year, with visible drug activity near the premises.
The FBI has not provided further information regarding the investigation or what might have been discovered, but mentioned that more updates will be released in the days ahead.
This narrative has been revised to include additional details.
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