Police Arrest Nine People in Wide Drug Sweep
Thursday, October 24 2013
Police performed a two-day sweep in Unalaska this week as part of an ongoing investigation into meth and heroin sales.
Public safety director Jamie Sunderland says the operation follows from an undercover drug sting conducted over the past few months. Officers used information from those cases -- and, once again, from a confidential informant.
"That has led to the arrest of nine additional people," Sunderland says.
Among them are Lua Aiava, 28, Allan Bautista, 44, Ioane Faasavalu, 25, Ernie Oxinio, 30, Brandon Rosa, 21, Stephen A. Rosa, 49, and Tofa Matautia, 28. They have all been charged with drug-related felonies.
Officers kicked off the first round of searches around 12:45 p.m. Wednesday and wrapped up around midnight. In that time span, they executed ten search warrants.
On Thursday, police still had more eight more warrants to work through. They were also processing meth, heroin, and bath salts seized as evidence.
"We have recovered alarming amounts of illegal drugs, plenty of guns, lots of cash," Sunderland says, adding that the department is planning to release more details on the quantities at a later date.
With assistance from a police dog and K-9 officer flown in from Sand Point, Unalaska police spent Wednesday searching the offices at Tradewinds Apartments and a private residence at Tradewinds. They also combed through a Radiant Heating Fuel Services truck and a tire shop, both owned by Dalibor Machalek.
Machalek says his property was searched because his employee is allegedly connected to drug sales.
Radiant Heating’s fuel truck driver, Stephen A. Rosa, is facing 13 felony charges for allegedly engaging in a criminal enterprise involving controlled substances, allegedly possessing meth and bath salts, and allegedly possessing firearms despite an earlier felony conviction, which would preclude gun ownership.
On Wednesday afternoon, Machalek says his brother called him to tell him that police officers were at his tire shop, just down the road from Radiant Heating’s office on Broadway.
"So I went over there and I was informed by police officer Jennifer Shockley that they have a suspicion to search the premises," Machalek says. "She informed me that they were going to have a warrant within a couple of hours or something. And when I arrived, police officers were already in the shop, searching."
Machalek says the officers let him turn off the fuel truck Rosa usually drives, which was left running outside, along with a welder machine inside the shop. The officers carried on with their search and Machalek left to return to work, he says. When he returned to the shop after business hours, Machalek says he found two search warrants laying on his desk.
Sundlerland says it’s not common practice to notify a property owner before performing a search with a warrant. But Sunderland says police have obtained and executed all their warrants by the book.
"We’re trying to be good citizens of the community, as well. We’re not into knocking out windows and kicking things down," Sunderland says. "We’re looking through things and then trying to get them back to their owners, if possible. If it’s evidence, we’re seizing it. If not, we’re going to be there -- maybe even a few hours -- but then we’re going to try to get out of there and get out of the way."
Sunderland says the defendants who were arrested on Wednesday were supposed to make their first appearances in court Thursday, but that was delayed.
Those hearings are now scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday.
Related stories:
chillisauce on Friday, December 13 2013:
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.WHO ON THE ISLAND IS NOT SUPRISED THE ROSAS ARE FINALLY CAUGHT ON THE SAME DRUG CHARGES.OOPS I MEAN THEY GOT FINALLY TOOK IN STEVE!WHAT UPD STEVE DIDN'T PAY YOUR OFFICERS THIS TIME!
Sandra Aus on Saturday, October 26 2013:
In response to "seriously" your ignorance is showing. If substance was really that easy to prevent it wouldn't be listen as a disorder in the medical DSM-V. People don't plan to become an alcohol/addict but it becomes a brain disorder w/o the person realizing it. Nobody wanted to become an abuser of any drugs! That's not what I said when they asked what do you want to be when you grow up. Educate yourself and mayybe you would be less judgemental. What are you doing to make a difference? It's in your community- it's a community problem and affects everyone.
Cops on Friday, October 25 2013:
Cops pointing guns at their faces too ? Wow ! Cops these days too , men .
Maria on Friday, October 25 2013:
Geeez people make mistakess !! Just hopefully they all learn their lessons because thats's a really biq deal and won't look good in their background . Nobody's perfect so don't jusge others just cuz of what you read . Doesnt mean they are always bad people . Think about your guys self ! I know you guys have so many flaws before .
Seriously? on Friday, October 25 2013:
Unisea is the biggest contributer to alcohol problems? What, should we start going after spoon and fork factories because they make people fat? How about a little self control? The people who have drug and alcohol problems choose to drink or do drugs. It's not like any of these people have been forced to do drugs. Be responsible for yourself and make good decisions. If I knew my family had a history of substance abuse do you think I would excessively drink or do drugs? Uh no. Yet look at half of these kids that have problems in our community. I'm aware that that is not always the cause for a person that has a problem, but it is the majority of the time. Unisea or any other establishment is not responsible AT ALL for drunks or the like. They sell alcohol, yes, but it's not on them if someone has a problem. Self control, and some responsibility people.
really! on Friday, October 25 2013:
Confident informant..really... I bet that person was involved no matter wat. N now to save himself/herself its to the cop shop. Y didnt they do this months ago. Just curious if it was under investigation how did others flew out weeks early before the bust. Were they notified by some1? Just asking.
to background checker on Friday, October 25 2013:
Don't jump to conclusions. Would someone with a criminal history never get a job again?
Background Checks? on Friday, October 25 2013:
How do these criminals even get jobs for these local companies...doesn't anyone do background checks these days? Jeez. Responsible management would keep these guys off the island.
Just Saying on Friday, October 25 2013:
Something the residence of this community needs to understand; there are more than just drug and alcohol problems in the community, and larger than what people realize. What went down is just the beginning, and we would be foolish to think otherwise.
Yes, there are other serious issues this community puts up with, and as others have commented, the liquor establishments here are responsible for a lot of the alcohol problems, DUI’s, life threatening events caused by alcohol, and it is time the Mayor, City Council, and police department, along with people of this community, start holding those establishments partly responsible.
Unisea is the biggest contributor to the alcohol problems and held responsible. There may seem to be “a blind eye” turned, because of the link to the fishing industry. As I said, the Mayor and city Council you should be held responsible if you don’t look long and hard at this issue.
These drug dealers, users, are repetitive abusers, and will not stop until aggressive processes are implemented. These drug dealers, users, get caught, go to jail, go through rehab and pretend they have changed, only to return and start all over again. These people have no regard for anyone or anything other than the drug(s) they deal and use. They pollute this community and the kids who live in this community.
You never know who is involved in major drug dealings for many reasons, until information gathered leads in the specific direction. To think that the police should have known Stephen Rosa was a dealer, is not necessarily too but, what speaks volumes, is that Stephen Rosa had his son’s dealing for him, and even welcomed the use of drugs. If a parent is willing to have their child enter a world of drugs and of no return, then you have no regard for anything. He had a lot of people doing his dirty work, and I for one am happy that he has been taken off the streets. He, his son’s, and all those involved should go away for a long time. Residence of this community should not allow this to happen, and do everything possible to keep people like this out of this community.
Just Saying
Rukidding on Thursday, October 24 2013:
Don't mean to be mean but to pumpkin and Stacy, the biggest players in the drug game in town are the bars. Look at the stats anyway, from any angle you want, more people get hurt, injured, killed and generally screwed up from alcohol no contest. Go ahead and feel self righteous and proud but you are basically turning an ignorant and blind eye to the gigantic problem right under your nose, ch ch ch ch ch check it out..........
pumpkin on Thursday, October 24 2013:
UPD, canine dog from sand point, and superman in the game. Crooks beware!! Unalaska is getting cleaner by the minute. I would move out quick if I were in the drug game right now,
Stacy Spencer on Thursday, October 24 2013:
GO SAND POINT K9! We were wooting for you here at home. Thank you Unalaska for giving the officer and K9 the opportunity to work in your wonderful city.