Six Arrested and Indicted in Juneau Drug Ring Bust

 JUNEAU – Six individuals from Juneau, Alaska, have been arrested and charged in connection to a drug trafficking ring which conspired to distribute methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine between July 2017 and May 2021. They are also charged with firearm offenses in connection with drug trafficking.

Those charged are:

• David Powers, 50;
• Janel Davis aka “Janel Ellis,” 48;
• Keoni Bischoff, 41;
• Catherine Demars aka “Catherine McCoy,” 50;  
• Eliza Nicole Coyle, 35; and
• Lorvin Baraoidan Uddipa, 33.   

According to court documents, over the last four years, Powers and Davis obtained drugs in Washington and distributed them across southeast Alaska using cell phones to connect with buyers. Bischoff, Demars, Coyle and Uddipa were members of the drug ring who assisted Powers and Davis in obtaining and distributing the controlled substances. The group also acquired a variety of firearms, including seven pistols, seven rifles and a shotgun many of which had silencers. Investigators also found a suspected selector switch which could potentially be used to convert a handgun into a machine gun. Other items found included numerous rounds of ammunition, additional silencer parts, laser sights and various firearm parts and accessories.  

If convicted, the individuals face a maximum sentence of lifetime in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Juneau Police Department (JPD), Alaska State Troopers (AST), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), United States Coast Guard Investigative Service (USCGIS) and United States Postal Inspector Service (USPIS) are members of the South East Alaska Cities Against Drugs (SEACAD) Taskforce and are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Schmidt and Christopher Schroeder are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.