Alaska Lawyer Charged in Drug Trafficking Case Involving Imprisoned Cartel Leader

Justin Facey, a 44-year-old attorney from Anchorage, has found his once-modest law practice embroiled in a federal drug trafficking investigation. Initially focused on mundane legal matters like DUI and domestic violence, Facey’s career took a dark turn in 2023 when he began representing Heraclio Sanchez Rodriguez, a convicted drug trafficker serving a life sentence in California.

Federal authorities have accused Facey of maintaining a “drug-involved premises” and possessing firearms while allegedly selling methamphetamine and fentanyl. Sanchez, 58, reportedly directed one of Alaska’s largest drug trafficking organizations from prison, using contraband cellphones to plan the smuggling of narcotics from Southern California to Alaska.

Prosecutors revealed that Facey communicated with Sanchez via text message about operational logistics, including a plan to fly a co-conspirator out of Anchorage to avoid arrest. Additionally, Facey discussed with Sanchez the laundering of drug profits and appeared to revel in his newfound wealth, boasting of “guaranteed revenue” from cartel business.

Despite these claims of success, Facey faced numerous grievances from clients and a spiraling addiction to methamphetamine, leading to his law license suspension in February. His lawyer, Nicolas Vieth, stated Facey is struggling with depression and substance abuse, emphasizing the serious nature of the allegations against him.

As mounting evidence presents a grim picture, Facey sits in the Anchorage Correctional Complex, awaiting a bail hearing. The case illustrates a troubling intersection of legal malpractice and organized crime in Alaska.