Suspicious package at post office leads to drug arrest

The Wrangell Police and local U.S. Forestry Officer assist Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs with the execution of a search warrant in Panhandle Trailer Park on Dec. 29, 2025. (Photo by Wrangell Police Department)

By Jonathon Dawe

Wrangell Sentinel

Police arrested a Wrangell man Dec. 29 after seizing what the chief called the town’s largest drug shipment in recent history.

Officers took 66-year-old Steven Marshall into custody around 4 p.m. at Panhandle Trailer Park. The arrest followed a joint investigation by Wrangell police, U.S. Forest Service and Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs (SEACAD).

Investigators found a package containing 478.8 grams of methamphetamine, according to the probable cause affidavit. The amount is nearly half a kilogram, about one pound.

“It’s pretty wild when you think about it,” Police Chief Gene Meek said. “Just shy of a half kilogram is a lot of drugs, especially for this area.”

The investigation began with a tip about drugs moving through the mail. Officers obtained a warrant after postal workers flagged a suspicious package with a fake return address.

According to the probable-cause affidavit, police watched as Marshall picked up the package from the post office. They followed him back to his home, and officers entered the residence shortly after Marshall took the package inside. They found the package had been opened.

Court documents state that Marshall told officers he knew nothing about the delivery.

Marshall faces two felony charges for misconduct involving a controlled substance.

He was held at the Wrangell jail as of Friday, Jan. 2. A judge set his bond at $10,000 cash.

Meek explained that if Marshall pays the bond, he must follow strict rules. He will be placed under house arrest, with electronic monitoring. He must also submit to regular drug tests. He would owe an additional $5,000 if he breaks any conditions of the release.

Meek said the drug case remains under investigation. He also noted a connection between Marshall and a kidnapping report from Dec. 23, but declined last week to provide more details about that case.

• This article originally appeared in the Wrangell Sentinel.