An Anchorage resident was arrested at a campsite near Salmonfest in Ninilchik this weekend after Alaska State Troopers allegedly found an estimated $50,000 in illicit drugs in his tent.
According to an affidavit included with charging documents, Anchor Point-based troopers were notified by Salmonfest security around noon on Saturday of someone who had been selling mushrooms at a nearby campsite, behind the American Legion. Troopers responded and after an investigation contacted Joshua Brown, a 43-year-old from Anchorage, at the site.
The affidavit says that Brown was operating under an alias, as Charlie Hussle. Troopers found that Hussle was a known alias for Brown and also that Brown was on parole for a first-degree charge of assault in Anchorage. A probation officer told troopers that Brown didn’t have a travel pass permitting him to leave Anchorage, Wasilla or Palmer, and was not allowed to consume or possess alcohol, or to possess drugs or illicit substances.
Probation officers asked troopers to search Brown’s person and property, the affidavit says.
Brown acknowledged “his government name,” the affidavit says, and admitted to consuming alcohol and possessing cocaine.
Troopers found “several” individual packages of cocaine, hash oil and $2,236 in cash on Brown’s person. They also found business cards, IDs and money cards under the names of both Brown and Hussle, the affidavit says.
Troopers found in a cooler inside the tent more than 90 grams of cocaine, the affidavit says.
A search warrant was obtained for the tent and Brown’s vehicle before the search was continued, the affidavit says. Between the two, 62 grams of methamphetamine, 100 tablets of LSD, “numerous” containers of hash oil, 498 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 517 grams of marijuana and 190 grams of THC pens were found. Additionally, a total of more than 2,000 grams of unidentified mushrooms were found in chocolate and 428 grams of an unknown substance “suspected” to be a THC derivative or other synthetic drug were found.
“Large amounts” of a photo card showing the location of Brown’s tent were found, which also showed the location of his tent at last year’s Salmonfest, the affidavit says.
Brown was arrested on four counts of third-degree misconduct involving controlled substances and four counts of fifth-degree misconduct involving controlled substances.
The four counts each are for the different drugs found by troopers, methamphetamine, cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms and the hash oil. Fifth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance describes the crime of manufacturing, delivering or possessing with the intent to deliver a controlled substance. Third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance describes the crime of either delivering controlled substances to someone under 19 years of age who is “at least three years younger than the person delivering,” or possessing a controlled substance with “reckless disregard” within 500 feet of school grounds or a recreation or youth center.
The affidavit says that “numerous additional charges are expected” because of the quantity of substances that need to be tested and identified.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
