Posted: August 5, 2011 - 8:00am

Peninsula Clarion

http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2011-08-05/woman-charged-in-money-laundering-drug-ring

A Kenai woman was arraigned in Anchorage District Court Thursday morning for her alleged role in an interstate oxycodone distribution and money laundering ring.

Jaqueline Gattenby, 30, faces four counts of conspiracy to traffic narcotics, conspiracy to launder proceeds garnered from the illegal distribution of said narcotics, and money laundering. She pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Among Gattenby's seven co-defendants is her husband Jonathen Gattenby, 28, who faces similar charges. The eight were indicted by a federal grand jury in Anchorage on June 21.

A press release from the U.S. Department of Justice states Jaqueline Gattenby is from Washington, but she lists Kenai as her place of residence on an appearance bond document. Prosecuting attorney Stephan Collins confirmed the Gattenbys did live in Kenai and Jaqueline hopes to move back there, though at the time of the indictment and her arrest she was living in Kent, Wash.

According to the press release, between December 2009 and August 2010 the eight defendants conspired to distribute oxycodone and to launder the proceeds reaped from its sale. The money laundering charges allege 18 financial transactions - wire transfers, deposits, and withdrawals - affecting interstate commerce between Alaska and California totaling over $90,000.

Jaqueline's portion of the alleged laundering accounts for $7,075; Jonathen's accounts for $5,000.

Jonathen was arrested in Reno, Nev., on July 7 and arraigned in an Anchorage court July 27. He pleaded not guilty to all counts and is out of custody on a $5,000 unsecured appearance bond.

Jaqueline announced during the Thursday hearing that she and her husband are in the process of getting a divorce.

Though Jaqueline was previously out of custody on an unsecured appearance bond, she appeared in custody during the Thursday arraignment after an arrest that morning for a petition to revoke probation stemming from a 2010 theft conviction.

The other individuals allegedly involved in the drug ring are Anchorage residents Jordan Young, Yale Gene Jordan, Mystri Simmons and Gary Zaremba, and California residents Clent Baumann and Christopher Bickell.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Anchorage Police Department.

Trial is scheduled for Sept. 19.