Eight-month drug investigation results in seven people facing federal charges, including six Juneau residents

Supplier in California provided methamphetamine distributed in Juneau, according to JPD

Police vehicles at the Juneau Police Department station in Lemon Creek. (Juneau Police Department photo)

Three Juneau residents were arrested this week in connection with an illegal drug distribution ring involving three other Juneau residents and a California resident suspected of being the supplier of the drugs, according to a Juneau Police Department release issued Thursday.

The case originated in October of last year and involves multiple law enforcement agencies in Alaska and California, as well as federal agencies, according to the release.

An initial investigation indicated Juneau residents Patrick Iler, 41, Erika Porter, 39, and Timothy Miller were distributing methamphetamine locally, according to JPD. They were indicted this month on federal charges relating to drug conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. The three defendants were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday, and remanded at Lemon Creek Correctional Center.

Arrested in Highland, California, in May of 2025 as the source of the drugs was Kinarla Miles, 67. Three other alleged co-conspirators arrested in Juneau at about the same time were Jerome Larue, 51, Travis Lind, 38, and and Edie Seslar, 60. All four were indicted in May on federal charges involving drug conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

The initial investigation into Iler, Porter and Miller resulted in the seizure of 1.32 kilograms of methamphetamine with a street value of about $130,000, according to JPD.

"The total amount of methamphetamine believed to be involved in this conspiracy was approximately 7 Kilograms of methamphetamine, with an approximate street value of $700,000," the release states.

Court and police records show Iler has multiple previous drug-related arrests. He and another man were arrested in 2013 on suspicion of trafficking heroin and methamphetamine involving a package shipped from California. In 2020 he was arrested on multiple drug and weapons charges after an alleged shoplifting incident at a store revealed he was carrying a weapon — not stolen items — and a related warrant search of his vehicle two days later by police resulted in the discovery of a weapon, drugs and drug paraphernalia, according to JPD.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.