United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to over 13 years in prison for conspiring with others to traffic fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin in Alaska on behalf of a drug trafficking organization allegedly run by a California inmate.

According to court documents, on March 23, 2023, Richard Frye, 37, and co-conspirator Tiffani Couch, 32, drove their other co-conspirator Anna Petla, 26, to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and dropped her off. Law enforcement officials contacted Petla inside the airport and found her in possession of nearly 3,000 blue fentanyl pills and over 80 grams of methamphetamine that she was planning to transport to Sand Point for distribution.

Law enforcement officials subsequently contacted Frye and Couch as they waited in their vehicle outside the departure area and detained both. Officers searched the vehicle and found over 500 blue fentanyl pills and over 40 grams of other controlled substances.

On June 9, 2023, law enforcement officials contacted Frye and Couch during a traffic stop in Anchorage. Frye was a fugitive with an outstanding arrest warrant and attempted to flee the traffic stop. Officers searched the vehicle and recovered roughly 1,400 blue fentanyl pills, over 12 grams of other controlled substances and two loaded ammunition magazines.

Frye, as part of the conspiracy involving the drug trafficking organization, intended to distribute to others both the controlled substances police seized from his vehicle in March 2023, and those seized from his vehicle in June 2023.

After law enforcement officials arrested Frye and Couch following the traffic stop on June 9, Frye was booked into custody at the Anchorage Correctional Complex. During booking staff found a suspicious mass in Frye’s stomach during a body scan. It was later determined that before his arrest, Frye ingested fentanyl and suboxone wrapped in cellophane and condoms with the intent to distribute these substances inside the correctional facility.

Frye posted state bail and was released. Frye spoke to the alleged leader of the drug trafficking organization on the phone after his releases and discussed a plan to smuggle suboxone strips into the Anchorage Correctional Complex again because the substance was going for “300 a piece right now” inside the complex. Frye was ordered detained again following a bail hearing in state court on June 23, 2023. On June 25, 2023, correctional officers discovered Frye attempted to secrete on his body roughly 70 suboxone strips into the detention facility with the intent to distribute them inside the facility.

Court documents also explain that between December 2022 and March 2023, Frye used a digital money transferring service to send over $8,800 to a co-conspirator’s account. During the same time frame, Frye received nine transfers totaling over $1,000 from the same co-conspirator.

“This defendant’s actions show the lengths traffickers will go to peddle poison in correctional facilities and in our communities in Alaska,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Cases like this demonstrate DEA’s unwavering commitment to disrupting the fentanyl supply chain and holding accountable those who distribute these deadly drugs. Through enforcement, education, awareness, and strong partnerships with our law enforcement colleagues, we are working every day toward a Fentanyl Free America. Together, we can protect our communities and save American lives.”

“With today’s sentence, we are one step closer to dismantling Alaska’s largest drug trafficking enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “I am grateful for the collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold those involved in trafficking fentanyl accountable.”

Co-defendants in this case are as follows:

• Couch, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Couch was sentenced to four years in prison and three years’ supervised release on Feb. 5, 2026.
• Petla, of Dillingham, pleaded guilty on June 4, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Petla was sentenced to four years in prison and three years’ supervised release on Oct. 28, 2025.

The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division Office and Anchorage District Office, FBI Anchorage Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, Homeland Security Investigations Anchorage, Alaska Office, Alaska State Troopers and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case expect for certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases.  He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or U.S. Attorney Bradford in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal.

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