United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ANCHORAGE, Alaska- A Washington man was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between January 1 and January 13, 2023, Jacob Cotton, 35, of Spokane, Washington, agreed to sell and mail approximately 150 fentanyl pills to an individual for distribution in Skagway. The object of the conspiracy was to have Cotton buy fentanyl in Spokane for a cheaper price, ship it to Alaska, and then charge a premium price for purchase in Skagway. Cotton and the individual agreed to split any distribution proceeds.

At the time of the agreement, Skagway was “dry,” meaning there was no fentanyl available in the community.

On January 9, 2023, Cotton shipped a parcel containing the pills from Spokane to the individual in Skagway via the U.S. Postal Service. The parcel was delivered sometime between January 11 and 12. On January 12, 2023, the individual contacted multiple people indicating the pills were available for purchase. 

On January 13, 2023, around 11:30 p.m., the individual selling the pills was found unresponsive on his bathroom floor and later declared deceased after attempts to revive him. This victim was 28 years old at the time of his death. On January 14, 2023, around 4:30 p.m., a 44-year-old man was found dead in his bedroom. The State of Alaska Medical Examiner’s Office later determined both victims died from acute toxic effects of fentanyl. 

On January 15, 2023, law enforcement searched the 28-year-old victim’s residence and recovered a plastic bag with 62 fentanyl pills hidden in a computer tower. 

During trial, prosecutors presented records confirming Cotton’s shipment of drugs, digital messages, and payment records connected to the illegal drug sales. 

Cotton was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death, and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The federal jury also found Cotton guilty of a “death resulting” enhancement for both victims, which required proof that the fentanyl pills Cotton distributed were the cause of each victim’s death.

“Mr. Cotton was responsible for the first shipment of fentanyl into Skagway which led to the fentanyl poisoning deaths of two people within 24 hours in January 2023,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to relentlessly pursue those who traffic this poison, disrupt the networks that fuel the illicit fentanyl trade, and hold traffickers accountable for the deaths and destruction they cause. Every fentanyl trafficking organization we dismantle and every trafficker we hold accountable brings us one step closer to a Fentanyl Free America.” 

“The defendant knowingly supplied a lethal narcotic to a small southeast Alaska community that resulted in the deaths of two individuals and the overdoses of two others in the community,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Let this be a warning—whether you are an international drug trafficker or a street-level dealer—if you endanger the lives of Alaskans, we will vigorously prosecute offenders and hold them to account for the carnage they create in all Alaskan communities.”

“I want to thank every investigator, officer, agent, prosecutor, and agency that contributed to this case. No single agency could have accomplished this alone. The cooperation between the Skagway Police Department, SEACAD, the DEA, and the federal prosecution team was instrumental in bringing this case forward,” said Chief of Police Jerry Reddick of the Skagway Police Department. “While nothing can undo the loss experienced by the families and friends of the victims, today’s sentencing represents an important point of closure in a case that has weighed heavily on our community. Our hope is that the conclusion of this case allows the families and friends of the victims to continue the difficult process of healing and begin moving forward.” 

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Skagway Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers.

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