[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 145 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  DEDICATED PUBLIC EMPLOYEES IN ALASKA

  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, today I would like to bring to the 
Senate's attention the valiant efforts of some dedicated public 
employees in the State of Alaska in arresting a dangerous drug dealer. 
Their efforts resulted in a guilty verdict on all 14 counts, including 
a life sentence for drug trafficking, the first time this has ever 
happened in Alaska. I ask that the text of the letter of commendation 
from the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration be 
printed as part of the permanent Congressional Record.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record as follows:

         Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration,
                                 Anchorage, AK, September 1, 1994.
     Frank Prewitt,
     Commissioner, Department of Corrections, Anchorage, AK.
       Dear Commissioner Prewitt, on December 24, 1993, defendant 
     Jay Franklin Vought was arrested for being in possession of 
     approximately three and a half kilograms of cocaine. At the 
     time of his arrest Vought was on probation with the State of 
     Alaska. Vought was subsequently indicted on fourteen counts 
     of violating federal narcotic and money laundering laws, 
     which included continuing criminal enterprise and conspiracy.
       On December 22, 1993, this office advised Officers Allen 
     and Tanner that Vought was travelling to Fairbanks, Alaska 
     from Anchorage, Alaska. As a result of Officers Allen and 
     Tanner conducting surveillance it was determined where Vought 
     was staying in Fairbanks. Their efforts eventually led to the 
     initial seizure of approximately one and a half kilograms of 
     cocaine in Fairbanks from Vought during the late hours of 
     December 24, 1993. A subsequent seizure of two kilograms of 
     cocaine resulted from a cooperative effort between Officer 
     Polhemus and agents of the DEA Anchorage Resident Office in 
     the early morning hours of December 25, 1993 from Vought's 
     residence in Anchorage, Alaska. Further investigation by this 
     office and IRS revealed that Vought's organization had 
     distributed and/or possessed an estimated eighteen kilograms 
     of cocaine.
       I would like to commend Probation and Parole Officers 
     Michael Tanner, Donald Allen, and Kurt Polhemus for their 
     initiative and dedication to duty. It is to their credit, 
     that these officers unselfishly put forth time and hard work 
     especially on the Christmas holiday.
       Their professional attitude and spirit of cooperation 
     throughout the investigation and testimony during the trial 
     helped result in a guilty verdict on all fourteen counts by a 
     jury in Fairbanks, Alaska. On August 31, 1994, Vought was 
     sentenced to life on two counts; forty years on seven counts; 
     twenty years on four counts; and ten years on one count. This 
     is the first time in the history of Alaska that a defendant 
     has been given a life sentence for drug trafficking. Due to 
     his violent nature, Vought was a perfect candidate for life 
     without parole.
       It was a pleasure to have worked with these officers and we 
     at DEA look forward to working in conjunction with the Alaska 
     State Probation and Parole in the future.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Fred B. Thomas,
     Resident Agent in Charge.

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