Drugs, weapons charges draw more than 4 years

ANCHORAGE — A Wasilla man has been sentenced to serve 57 months in federal prison for possessing firearms illegally and distributing cocaine and heroin.

Damian Allen Nichols, 28, received his sentence Oct. 16, having previously pleaded guilty to the gun and firearm charges in federal court. According to prosecutors, police seized guns from Nichols in July 2007. As a felon, Nichols was not allowed to own guns.

Then, in December 2007, a confidential source bought cocaine and heroin from Nichols, prompting a search of Nichols’ home that turned up drug packing materials and more guns, one of which was stolen.

Nichols was initially charged in state court with six felony drug counts and four felony weapons charges.

In those cases, Alaska State Troopers investigators filed a report detailing how, on Dec. 17, 2007, an undercover Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms agent drove an informant to Nichols’ apartment.

The informant was wearing a hidden camera and, while walking into the apartment, stepped on a pistol, the affidavit states.

The informant and Nichols negotiated what types of drugs were available and, eventually, the informant left, having purchased $150 worth of crack and powdered cocaine, investigators said.

According to the affidavit, the powdered cocaine was later found to weigh 1.17 grams and the crack weighed in at .65 grams.

A second affidavit tells of an informant going to Nichols’ apartment two days later, this time wearing a hidden microphone. An unnamed person let the informant into the house and Nichols emerged from a back bedroom and pointed a pistol at the informant’s chest.

“I almost got your elbow,” Nichols told the informant in the affidavit. “What do you need?”

The informant asked for heroin and cocaine and was sold some of each, paying $50 for the heroin — later found to weigh .24 grams — and $100 for the cocaine — later found to weigh 1.09 grams.

The informant also reported spotting numerous weapons in the home, including a bolt-action rifle and a revolver, according to the affidavit.

Alaska State Troopers reports show Nichols was arrested Jan. 3 in a raid on his Beverly Lakes Road apartment with help from the state’s Special Emergency Response Team, the ATF, the National Guard’s Counter Drug Support Program and the troopers’ police dog, Custa.

In the house, troopers reported finding cocaine, crack, marijuana, counterfeit money, two guns, packing materials, scales, cash and other drug paraphernalia.

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