Anchorage couple sentenced to federal prison for drug distribution and money laundering

• News Home
• More from News of the North

Thursday, December 2nd, 2021 1:18pm

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Messenger
• Share on Messenger
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Whatsapp

Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - Following a months long federal investigation into a drug ring in anchorage, two were sentenced to federal prison for distributing drugs and money laundering.

The initial arrest was in 2018.

Court documents say the 47-year-old May Saelee, also known as “The First Lady,” and 47-year-old Cher Vang, also known as “The President,” had been dealing drugs out of their home in anchorage from 2011 to 2018.

306 grams of meth was sold during that seven-year period.

In addition, over 150,000 dollars were structurally deposited into their personal bank accounts.

This was to avoid federal banking requirements and to hide that the source of the money was from drugs. 

Saelee was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison and Vang was sentenced to 57 months.

“With today’s sentencing, we have put an end to another drug trafficking ring responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Anchorage and the surrounding area,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson, District of Alaska. “These dangerous drugs are destructive 
poisons that threaten the health and safety of our communities. We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure that drug traffickers are held responsible for the harm they cause.”

More from News of the North

• EXPLAINER: How Alaska's unique new election system works

  JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska elections will be held for the first time this year under a voter-backed system that scraps party primaries and uses ranked choice voting in general elections.

• Juneau City Hall discusses waterfront plan changes, public input to follow

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The Juneau assembly committee of the whole discussed changes to Juneau's long-range waterfront plan during their meeting Monday evening.

• US consumer confidence remains high after January downturn

  SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence declined this month as Americans became slightly less optimistic about their near-term financial prospects amid persistent inflation and the highly-contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus.

• Pfizer begins testing omicron-matched COVID shots in adults

  (AP) - Pfizer and BioNTech have begun studying a COVID-19 vaccine tweaked to match to the omicron variant in healthy adults.

• Crimson Bears Butt Heads with Moose on Ice

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The Juneau-Douglas High School Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears hockey team fell by the score of 4-2 to the Palmer Moose on Monday night at Treadwell Arena in a spirited and physical Railbelt Conference battle around the rink.

• Assembly committee briefed on City Hall options

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The Assembly Public Works and Facilities Committee was updated on the four alternatives for a new City Hall during its meeting over the Noon hour Monday.

• CBJ Clerk frustrated with Postal Service answers to ballots not postmarked in Fall election

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - News of the North and the CBJ Clerk's Office experienced great frustration in contacting the postal service to determine why hundreds of ballots from the local election last October were not postmarked.

• Alaska continued to gain jobs in December, unemployment rate declines slightly

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Alaska continued to gain jobs in December as it continues to rebound from the pandemic.

• 2020 vital statistics report for Alaska is out

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The state's annual vital statistics report for 2020 has been released by the Alaska Division of Public Health.

• Masked men steal an entire ATM machine from inside Mat-Su business

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Two masked men made off with an ATM machine in the Mat-Su community of Butte early Monday morning.

• Trooper prostitution sting nets 22 men in Alaska's two largest cities

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Multiple prostitution patron stings were conducted earlier this month in Fairbanks and Anchorage resulting in charges against 22 men who attempted to solicit sex.

• Roaming charge: Alaska Nanooks making most of independence

  (AP) - College hockey in Alaska comes with an education in patience, positive attitudes, and efficient packing.