Drugs sent from China lead to charges

WASILLA — Two months after beating state drug charges, a Wasilla man has been busted by federal drug enforcement agents for picking up drugs shipped to a friend in Kenai.

According to federal court filings, agents with the Department of Homeland Security watched Robin Gattis put a package of drugs in the trunk of his vehicle July 31 in Kenai.

Prior to that in February, Gattis took delivery of a package containing what Alaska State Troopers investigators thought was ecstasy. An assistant district attorney in Palmer revealed in May that charges had to be dropped after testing determined the drugs were a synthetic drug — sometimes called bath salts or plant food — that occupies a legal gray area and is apparently legal to possess.

Gattis is the son of Lynn Gattis, a school board member who recently won the Republican primary for the state House of Representatives.

In the federal case, Gattis has two co-defendants, Stephen Kimbrell of Kenai and Chad Joseph Cameron, 18, of Palmer.

According to a sworn statement from Homeland Security agent Katherina Bang, the federal case Gattis now faces first came to light July 24 in San Francisco after customs officials pulled aside an envelope heading from China to Kenai.

“The subject parcel was opened and examined by CBP agriculture specialist Orozco. The mail parcel was found to contain an unknown white powder inside a plastic Ziploc bag. On the same day, CBP laboratory analyst Collin Ma used an infrared spectrometer to conduct a preliminary on-site screening analysis, which indicated the unknown white powder contains Methylone (4methylenedioxymethcathinone), a Schedule I controlled substance,” according to Bang’s statement.

Methylone is commonly referred to on the street as MDMA or ecstasy.

The package was put back together with a tracking device inside and sent on to its intended recipient in Kenai, Kimbrell.

“Subsequent communication between Stephen Kimbrell and Robin Gattis indicated that Kimbrell was receiving the suspect parcel on behalf of Robin Gattis. Kimbrell contacted Gattis to let him know his parcel had arrived and arrangements were made for Gattis to pick up the suspect parcel,” Bang wrote. Gattis and two men — it’s unclear from court filings whether one of them was Cameron — met Kimbrell in the Kenai Wal-Mart parking lot where Gattis put the package in his trunk.

Gattis was charged with importing drugs and conspiracy to import drugs. Kimbrell and Cameron were charged with possession and conspiracy to import.

Jail records indicate Cameron has made bail and Gattis, at least as of Saturday afternoon, was still in jail. There was no listing for Kimbrell in either state or federal jail databases.

Kimbrell’s criminal record in state court is very short and contains just two minor cases. The same is true for Cameron — two minor offenses. The worst Gattis has on his record — besides the dismissed drug case from June — is a misdemeanor assault conviction from 2011, but he has a slew of driving offenses.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.