A federal jury convicted James Barber, 44, of Anchorage on Apr. 9 for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy that targeted Alaska.
Barber was found guilty of conspiring with Aaron Washington, the leader of the organization, and several others to import and distribute fentanyl from Phoenix and Seattle into Alaska. The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address the flow of illegal drugs into the state.
Court documents and evidence presented at trial showed that between November 2024 and March 2025, Barber regularly collected luggage containing one to two kilograms of fentanyl at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Surveillance footage captured incidents where Washington would bypass baggage claim after returning from Phoenix while Barber picked up checked suitcases containing drugs.
In one instance in November 2024, Washington flew to Phoenix to purchase fentanyl before returning to Anchorage. Law enforcement later seized two kilograms of fentanyl from a suitcase after executing a search warrant at the airport. Text messages indicated coordination between Washington and Barber regarding these pickups. Authorities recorded at least seven similar trips during this period.
At the time these offenses occurred, Barber was under pretrial supervision related to another federal criminal case. The jury found him guilty on counts including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and attempted possession with intent to distribute. He also received an enhancement for committing these crimes while on supervised release. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge according to sentencing guidelines; Barber faces ten years to life in prison.
Several co-defendants have pleaded guilty in connection with this case: Aaron Washington is scheduled for sentencing on May 28; Charlotte Hill on June 16; Erika Willers and Kenneth Degroff both on June 10; Glenn Cooper on July 10; and Afshin Manzar on May 11.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office led the investigation with help from state troopers, local police departments as part of Safe Streets Task Force initiatives, Mat-Su High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area team, Airport HIDTA team, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bradley and Alana Weber are prosecuting.
