Four charged with smuggling drugs into prison

KNIK-FAIRVIEW — An Anchorage woman tried to smuggle more than $9,000 worth of heroin and meth into the Valley’s prison, authorities said.

Investigators with the Alaska State Troopers’ Mat-Su Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit arrested Gwendoline, Maka, 25, Wednesday, according to an Alaska State Troopers media release.

Department of Corrections officials became aware of an attempt by Mavaega Tautua 25, and Aaron Aasa, 30, both presently incarcerated in Goose Creek Correctional facility to import heroin and methamphetamine into the prison, and tipped investigators according to troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters.

Investigators arrested Tautua and Aasa Friday and relocated them to Mat-Su Pretrial.

Also charged was Kyle Hansen, 27, yet another inmate of Goose Creek Correctional Center, whose involvement in the conspiracy came to light the day after Aasa and Tautua were charged, troopers report. They allege Hansen handled the money into a bank account and transferred it to Maka to make purchases in Anchorage. Troopers seized $2,610 from that account.

When Maka was arrested, she was carrying 26.32 grams of heroin and 8 grams of methamphetamine, worth an estimated $9,400, according to the dispatch.

“When we talk about heroin, we normally only talk about ounces. One gram can be a supply for many people,” she said. “This was a large amount of heroin.”

Aaron Aasa is currently serving part of a 15-year sentence after pleading guilty to one count of robbery with a deadly weapon March 22, 2012, according to Alaska court documents.

Tautua is presently incarcerated for two counts of first-degree assault and felony weapons possession after a 2011 trial.

Maka faces one count each of second and third degree drugs misconduct, two counts of fourth-degree drugs misconduct (one possession, the other using a vehicle or building to distribute a controlled substance), one count of promoting contraband, and one count of driving with a suspended license. Her bail was set at $25,000 with a court-approved third-party custodial requirement, according to the media release.

Tautua and Aasa and Hansen face charges of conspiracy to committee second-degree drugs misconduct, conspiracy to commit third-degree drugs misconduct, and attempted promotion of contraband. Tautua received an additional $5,000 bail, Aasa received $25,000 additional bail and Hansen received an additional $20,000 bail.

Maka was housed at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center Saturday evening, according to corrections documents. Aasa, Tautua and Hansen had been returned Goose Creek.