Goose Creek officer accused of trying to smuggle drugs into prison

WASILLA — A Goose Creek prison corrections officer is facing federal charges after he allegedly tried to smuggle heroin and marijuana into the prison.

The FBI has accused Adam Spindler, 32, of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, according to court documents. Authorities said they received a tip earlier this month Spindler was smuggling drugs into the prison for distribution to inmates. The FBI then launched an investigation that included surveillance of Spindler, according to an affidavit written by Special Agent Richard Fuller.

Authorities allegedly spotted the corrections officer meeting with a suspected drug courier in the parking lot of the Wasilla McDonald’s restaurant shortly before his 6 p.m. Monday shift at Goose Creek, according to the affidavit.

“As law enforcement looked on, the drug courier got into Spindler’s vehicle for less than a minute before exiting his truck,” Fuller wrote. “Law enforcement surveilled Spindler as he proceeded to drive from the McDonald’s restaurant directly to GCCC (Goose Creek Correctional Complex), where he was to begin his shift.”

When Spindler arrived at work, he allegedly became suspicious of a Department of Corrections K-9 vehicle in the parking lot. He told another corrections officer coming off-shift — identified as “CO-1” in charging documents — that he had personal-use marijuana on him and didn’t want the K-9 dog to detect it, according to the affidavit.

CO-1 offered to take the bag and get rid of it for Spindler, who agreed. Security personnel inside the prison detained Spindler and searched him, while the K-9 unit swept Spindler’s car. The dog scented drugs, but a search of Spindler and his vehicle turned up no drugs, Fuller wrote.

While the search was being conducted, CO-1 called to tell officials that other corrections officers told him the FBI was searching Spindler’s vehicle. As a result, CO-1 had opened the bag that Spindler gave him and found marijuana and heroin, Fuller wrote.

“CO-1 returned to GCCC and surrendered the drugs to GCCC personnel,” Fuller wrote.

The heroin weighed about 1.67 grams, and the marijuana weighed about .515 grams, according to the affidavit, and both field-tested positive for heroin and marijuana.

In an interview with the FBI, Spindler admitted to trying to bring drugs into Goose Creek, Fuller wrote.

“Spindler further admitted that he got spooked by the K-9 unit and gave the drugs to CO-1 to avoid having the K-9 detect the drugs he was intending to smuggle into GCCC,” the affidavit reads in part.

Spindler remained in Cook Inlet Pretrial in Anchorage on Wednesday, according to the online Vinelink system. Spindler has been a corrections officer since April 2013, according to charging documents.

Contact reporter Brian O’Connor at 352-2270, brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com, or on Twitter @reporterbriano.