February 2, 11

NEWS / Anchorage Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun Crimes

Anchorage, Alaska — United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced that an Anchorage man was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage to 10 years in prison for his convictions of distribution of controlled substances, possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and witness tampering.

On January 21, 2011, Todd Robert Klink, 41, a resident of Anchorage, Alaska, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge H. Russel Holland.

According to information presented to the court by Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin White, Klink sold methamphetamine on six separate occasions to a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The total amount of methamphetamine that Klink distributed amounted to 48.7 grams. At the time of his arrest, Klink was in possession of a .22 caliber pistol and a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. He also had six baggies of methamphetamine and over $5,000 in cash on his person. Most of the cash consisted of bills marked from the drug sales to the confidential informant. Klink told law enforcement that he intended to use the money to purchase another ounce of methamphetamine to sell to the informant. Shortly after his arrest, Klink contacted the informant and advised him to "leave the planet." In 2006, the State of Alaska convicted Klink of another drug felony, misconduct involving a controlled substance in the third degree.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Holland noted the dangerous nature of the crimes, as they involved both guns and drugs. In light of the fact that methamphetamine is debilitating and poses a serious danger to the community, the court fashioned a sentence to reflect the serious nature of the offenses and to deter similar crimes in the future.

In addition to the jail sentence, Judge Holland ordered that Klink forfeit the pistol and the shotgun to the government. Klink also agreed to abandon his interest in $1,115 in cash seized from him at the time of his arrest, as it constituted profit from his illegal drug activities. Ms. Loeffler commended ATF for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Klink.

Ms. White is a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office who is funded by the Municipality of Anchorage for the purpose of prosecuting gang-related and violent crime cases.

http://www.atf.gov/press/releases/2011/01/013111-sea-anchorage-meth-dealer-sentenced-to-10-years-in-federal-prison-for-drug-and-gun-crimes.html