Numerous federal charges in Valley drug bust

WASILLA — Federal authorities have charged a Palmer man arrested as part of a large drug bust that resulted from a man’s overdose in December 2015.

Hiram Ducasse Jr., 26, of Palmer, faces three federal counts for his role in a heroin distribution chain that allegedly led to the overdose death of Michael Chalender, 22, of Houston. The federal government charged Ducasse with one count of conspiring with others to distribute heroin, one count of distributing heroin resulting in serious bodily injury and death, and one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute.

Ducasse’s case is the marquee in a series of three federal indictments filed against those allegedly involved in the drug crime. Sawyer Gruben, 21, of Fairbanks, faces two counts: possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

Angela McCready, 23, of Wasilla, Michael Trudeau, 28 of Wasilla, Samuel Hubbard, 29, of Wasilla, and Deborah K. Thomas, 54, of Desert Hot Springs, California, were also arrested following the investigation. Each was named in a single federal indictment on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin, distributing heroin, and three counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute heroin.

Family members found Chalender’s body Dec. 1, and state troopers say it was his death that led to the investigation.

State authorities previously charged Ducasse, McCready and Gruben with one count each of second- and fourth-degree drugs misconduct. Thomas was charged with one state count of second-degree and two counts of fourth-degree drugs misconduct. Trudeau was charged with one state count of third-degree drugs misconduct, and two counts of fourth-degree drugs misconduct.

McCready was arrested Jan. 9 in Palmer, and remained in Hiland Mountain Correctional Center Friday evening.

Court records show Trudeau has two $25,000 warrants for his arrest, one issued by the Palmer Superior Court, and the other issued by the Anchorage Superior Court in January for an alleged November offense.

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