A Juneau man was sentenced to serve two years in prison for selling drugs to a confidential informant last spring.
Nicholas A. DeTemple, 25, also received a total of 18 months in suspended jail time for a variety of misdemeanors during his sentencing hearing Wednesday in Juneau Superior Court before Judge Philip Pallenberg. He was ordered to be on probation for three years after his release.
Prosecutors said DeTemple sold a tenth of a gram of heroin to the informant in late March and a tenth of a gram of methamphetamine to an informant in early April. There was also an attempted drug sale in between.
He was indicted by a Juneau grand jury on felony drug charges in June, and pleaded guilty to one of the charges — third-degree drug misconduct — last month. The other counts were dismissed in a plea deal reached with prosecutors.
Third-degree drug misconduct is a class ‘B’ felony that can carry up to 10 years in prison, but has a presumptive sentencing range of one to three years for first-time offenders, such as DeTemple.
The judge agreed that the drug amounts were “just small retail sales,” but that it was a serious offense, especially considering DeTemple’s juvenile and adult misdemeanor record.
Pallenberg also noted that it’s clear that the plea agreement was a compromise since issues arose about the Glass warrant which authorized the confidential informant to wear a wire. DeTemple’s attorney, Kevin Higgins, filed a motion to suppress that evidence, which was deemed moot when a plea agreement was reached.
DeTemple received the suspended jail sentence for having metal knuckles, stealing headphones from Walmart and driving without a valid license.
The judge said the metal knuckles weapons violation charge was particularly relevant because DeTemple assaulted a man with metal knuckles at a store in 2007.
DeTemple was found with the metal knuckles and arrested in July 2012 when law enforcement executed a search warrant at Darrell W. Dawson’s shop in the 9400 block of Moraine Way, as they tracked a package that contained six ounces of methamphetamine.
That case led Dawson to be charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Dawson has since pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced in Juneau before U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess later this week.
DeTemple declined to address the court when given a chance.
DeTemple’s attorney, Higgins, noted that when his client was found in Dawson’s shop he was sleeping on a floor of a shed. Higgins said his client was not living “high on the hog” and a lavish lifestyle at other people’s expense and that DeTemple had a substance abuse problem that needs to be treated.
• Contact reporter Emily Russo Miller at 523-2263 or at emily.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (62)
Add commentnewspapergirl, first of all,
newspapergirl, first of all, it was my post, not JNUKara so I will take responsibility. Secondly, I would love for this guy to prove me, and MANY other commentors wrong. This guy has been nothing positive to the community and based upon comments in other recent articles, is already back to his old ways. I hope he cleans up, I hope he actually gets a job and maybe even helps others out in a positive way, not "helping" by providing poison to them as has been his nature. I root for people to turn their lives around but Hanson has caused grief for so many young people and their families and should be punished to the same extent as others, which JNUKara did state and I agree with. I apologize if I hit a nerve, or if you know him personally. If you do know him and are singing his praises, then hopefully you can be a positive influence on him and help him get it right before he lands back at LCCC and damages more young lives. If you can do that, you would be doing a great service to the Juneau community at large. Otherwise, why question my opinion?
Man, McCreery was quick to
Man, McCreery was quick to violate. His story was just in the Empire a few days ago. Will be interesting to see if he gets sent back to LCCC to finish out the suspended portion of his sentence. I also wonder if they will, or have, drug tested him. I bet he was using again as well as the drinking. It would send a proper message to those who did the same as he in the past year plus to have to finish out the suspended sentence. I do not wish bad on all of these 20 plus people we have read about in the past year who were peddling, and using etc. and, I do not have answers, I wish I did. Our system is such that they go to jail with the hopes that they come out and strive to get their lives straight. In a small, isolated city like Juneau, GOOD thorough rehab resources are not as plentiful as in larger metropolitan areas and it is not easy for people to come up with the $$ to get out of town or out of state to a facility that will give long term treatment of the addiction and give hope for a true recovery. These young people sit in jail, plea out, make more contacts and get back on the streets right where they were without missing a beat. They go back to "friends" and associates and rarely ever turn things around. I'm not big on this but McCreery's facebook pic tells a lot in my opinion. He appears as a wannabe thug or gangster, probably thinks it is cool. Well, he might just be facing a harsh reality with the probation violation. People have to WANT to get straight and get it right and make a positive contribution to their community but many of these people cannot wait to find the next high. Very sad.
Why don't you all do some learning...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/feb/24/drugsandalcohol.davidrose
Before we all start calling Tammy stupid and pathetic for her take on drugs, how about all of you actually educated yourselves on the topic first.
Tray
You need to do a little learning. That article is almost 11 years old. Have you been to Europe? The American culture and Euorpean culture are different. They have no where near the obesity problem we have either. Again that has to do more with the selfish instant gratification expectations of Americans.
I don't know what your personal drug habits are, and I am not speculating. But I will say that unless you are above 30, have not used within the last 5 years if ever, and are gainfully employed. Your perspective on addicts is less than objective. We generally see the actions of ourselves and our peers through rose colored glasses.
WOW
1/10 of a gram each huh? Two years in jail not enough? I see that fascism is alive and well with these folks. No doubt this guy made some really stupid choices and most likely is a scumbag but, to hear you guys all high on your own morality is somewhat comical.
What we all really want to know is....
Who Is Mary?!?!
Tell me this doesn't sound a
Tell me this doesn't sound a lot like what's happening in our political arena today both Republican and Democrat. NDAA, SOPA, PIPA, the patriot act and DHS....
Philosophy of government that stresses the primacy and glory of the state, unquestioning obedience to its leader, subordination of the individual will to the state's authority, and harsh suppression of dissent. Martial virtues are celebrated, while liberal and democratic values are disparaged. Fascism arose during the 1920s and '30s partly out of fear of the rising power of the working classes; it differed from contemporary communism (as practiced under Joseph Stalin) by its protection of business and landowning elites and its preservation of class systems. The leaders of the fascist governments of Italy (1922–43), Germany (1933–45), and Spain (1939–75)—Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, and Francisco Franco—were portrayed to their publics as embodiments of the strength and resolve necessary to rescue their nations from political and economic chaos. Japanese fascists (1936–45) fostered belief in the uniqueness of the Japanese spirit and taught subordination to the state and personal sacrifice. See also totalitarianism; neofascism.
Chessy, So by your logic
Chessy,
So by your logic since alcohol is legal we should have no alcohol problems in society…is that correct?
Mary is his daughter, short
Mary is his daughter, short for Maryjane, not that it's anyone's business...
Thanks Alaska Mama
I was just being goofy it's been such a serious day for me.
But thank you for answering.
The reason the DeTemple punk
The reason the DeTemple punk got such a light sentence is simple; he sang like a canary. I have heard this from several reliable sources. The guy spilled the beans and told the cops everything they wanted to know. I imagine that a lot the intel he gave the police will lead to a lot more arrests.
If I were one of the punks associated with this guy, I'd be packing my bags and heading for points way south, like Argentina.
The bottom line is.
All these losers getting caught and doing little or no jail time because they decide to save there buts and snitch. question how do have five felony counts of deliver/poss/ with intent to sell and get three counts dismissed and the other two dropped to misdemeanors do a few months get to keep your car you used to sell your drugs. and no probation. The crazy thing here is that some of there connections are not worth these deals they are given.
Unfortunately?
I plan to make my exit from Juneau this 2013, but not without plans for the people I care about.
Young people caught up in the drug business can change. I listened to the most impressive people I have heard on stage in a long time at JuneauFest. However, they left and I do not see the support system that they intended to jumpstart. The money just keeps going to the Glory Hole.
I have said this before. "PEOPLE NEED TO BE NICER THAN THE DRUG DEALERS!"
When someone gets out of jail - the person needs work, the person needs affordable housing away from drugs, the person needs a fun group of people to be around that replaces all the drug wired storage spaces of the brain with wonderful greatness and future possibilities and love.
What have I tried to do? I walked into an architect's office and talked to them about building a place with mandatory drug testing (and only $300 per month rent) for a very small never seen before style of efficiency with a washer and a dryer in the bathroom (with an open front door style of the Driftwood Hotel) and managed by security staff to be there, if need be, to deter drug entry for the residents. I thought of it while listening to the radio news announcing the city leased land plans.
I can sell the previous to anyone that has been disparaged as looking like or has associated with drug users or dealers, the people that despise drugs after incarceration. The architects weren't interested, they never called me after two visits.
Is $300 to little to pay for rent? NO! My old two bedroom house on 1/4 acre was less than that just last year. It was a mortgage held by a different person than me, a crook that has not been incarcerated yet.
Everyone has problems. Ask me why I hate this corrupt town or any corrupt town. I usually see a bunch of money grubbers that can't lose their jobs if they wanted to, then I smile.
@chickenlittle
Your heart is big and in the right direction, I'll give you that. But I can tell you I have family members that are drug addicts as well as ex friends because of it. I agree with you that they need, need, need. I personally have helped, helped, helped them and every time have gotten burned bad and I still help them, just now I expect to be let down. I have heard countless of times from them "you are not an addict so you don't understand". I agree, I don't understand and am aware enough of the consequences not to understand . I have seen perfectly productive people that have fallen to drugs not be the same after, it does permanent damage to their brains. Believe me I am no spring chicken to Juneau or it's drug addicts. I can count on one hand how many addicts out of tons that have turned their life around and I still have a few fingers down. It is very sad to say but true. And I can tell you that some of them that try to turn their life around go from street narcotics to legally prescribed narcotics like suboxone and I am not impressed one bit with their quality of life or their legalized drug dealer. They are still dependant on that drug to even get through one day for years, if not the rest of their life. It has to be a pretty rough road to be on. You are right everyone has their faults, me included, no one is perfect. But when is enough, enough, with no solution to the drug problem that leads to more criminal activity and drags our young children down the same path. So I don't blame these commenters one bit, I am fed up too. You are right, Juneau is corrupt, so it is in my opinion like all towns with a larger population than ten thousand. I am tied here so I have to make the best of it. Years ago I thought Juneau to be a great place to raise my kids, but people like Mr. DeTemple makes you think twice. Oh and just so you know the people of Juneau are a Hell of alot nicer than the freakin drug dealers
noroad,
where did I say there would be no drug problems with legal drugs? Please, explain my logic. I can tell you read more than I typed so please, explain my logic in more detail.
nick, oh where is the boy
nick, oh where is the boy that thought it was cool that old people dyed their hair burgandy purple. Please take this time to get your life straitened out and be there for your family. Find new people to hang out with and remember to take it one day at a time.
Chessy, I reread your post
Chessy,
I reread your post and it appears I exaggerated your position. However it seems to me that you underestimate the effects of legalized addictive substances on society. Legalized drugs means easy and legal access to those substances that quickly addict and make people depended. Look at nicotine. Would one in five people in the US be addicted to nicotine if it wasn’t legal?
I take you position to hypothesize that if drugs were legal then the money saved would balance out the negative effects that come with legal drugs.
That appears wrong when you look at alcohol. Look at all the money and law enforcement effort spent on dealing with the effects of legal alcohol. Look at the impacts to society/family/productivity.
My opinion is that we would spend much, much more dealing with legal crystal meth than we ever would on dealing with illegal crystal meth. I also think we will spend much more dealing with legal marijuana then we spend on illegal marijuana. Same goes for alcohol.
jdcb81
Apologizes to JNUKara. jbcd81 I am not singing any praises and I do not know this young man. Sorry to question your opinion. We have the same drug problem in our town also. It is everywhere and the cops are busting people left and right. You do see some of them go right back to the drugs. You also see some of them get on the right track. I always hope and pray people addicted to drugs can quit. Thats all. I did edit my last letter.
@newspapergirl - I understand
@newspapergirl - I understand and again, no offense meant. The specific post of mine that caught your attention was regarding J.Hanson and not N.DeTemple, and I was responding to JNUKara's comments regarding Hanson. However, both have created havoc in Juneau, Hanson much more damaging than Nick but still.....
Yes, this stuff has taken over many small communities and for that matter, large metropolitan communities as well it just seems to have a magnified effect on small communities such as SE Alaska and is tearing them up.
I wish you and your town well. Somehow, someway this has to stop and all we can do is pray for the best.
Get a clue
If you keep doing what you're doing, your going to keep getting what you GOT!
noroad,
you're telling me that the problems we face today with alcohol are worse than the problems faced during prohibition? I disagree.
Marijuana is illegal however it's easier to purchase for someone under 21 than it is alcohol. Not to mention when purchasing marijuana you often times have the opportunity to purchase other illegal substances. That's where the "gateway" begins. In comparison to other illegal substances marijuana is the only one with comparable usage to alcohol. Why? Because society as a whole is trustworthy and disregards the government's poor decision to lump marijuana in with other drugs. Society is not as stupid as you might think. Legalizing all the other drugs would not lead to addiction of these other drugs just like the prohibition of these drugs has not lead to largescale underground trafficking other than marijuana.
Legal anything suffers the possibility of abuse. Take fast food in America and our staggering obesity problem. Anyone can abuse anything. It's a responsible person who exercises moderation.
As far as your opinion regarding how much we spend on illegal marijuana, do you have any idea how much money goes to the wrong people? We funnel billions over the boarder to Mexico to support the cartels. They receive more than 80% of their funding from Americans buying their marijuana. That would end overnight with legal pot. Then we funnel billions to the Mexican military to fight the cartels we fund. Then we funnel billions more to the DEA and ATF in an attempt to support the Mexican Military. Your arithmetic stinks if you think the cost of legal pot would outweigh that. I would love to see your reasoning on this matter. Please elaborate. I'm sure your logic regarding other drugs is equally ridiculous.
Spider?!
The people, what people. Hell of a lot nicer????!!!! Do I need to say the name Maria Lovichuckie and her donors, the corporate officers that smoke marijuana or drink and give the children the wrong impression of success, the lawyers that make drug deals and smoke crack and slum lord around!
SPIDER!
Then, the whole group of soup bowls eats 100 free subs from subway for a write off. Everyone go party while I support the weak with all that I have - MY CHICKEN LITTLE BEAK SCREAMS INTO YOUR CHICKEN LITTLE EARS.
SCREAM SOMETHING SPIDER, YOU HAVE LIVED HERE LONGER THAN ME. ;)
Maybe he can turn his life
Maybe he can turn his life around in prison. Maybe he can learn a skill. Maybe beading. Maybe when he gets out he can open a bead store. Maybe.
@chickenlittle
I have a hard time responding to that BS. If caps lock is angry than you sir are a mad man. I am not a screamer, never does anyone any good. There are over thirty thousand people that live in this community and for the most part those are the people that I am referring to. I have no idea who the people you are talking about are, but they are a very small percentage compared to the people of Juneau as a whole. I most likely have lived here longer than you, so all I can tell you is don't let Juneau's door hit ya were the good lord split ya on your way out. Sorrry about your luck, have a nice nightmare and goodbye sir.
Priorities...
Nicky D is a worm. He is an abusive, POS whom most likely is beyond any hope of rehabilitation.... How in the hell he hasnt been charged with that hit and run at Wal Mart is beyond me... I guess Juneau is the only place you can plow into an old man crossing the street, and instead of slowing down to see if he is still alive - you race right to your buddies quasi shop and have him paint your car with a quickness.
The kid is a sociopath and need not be released....
Those of you that want drugs legalized:
Because law enforcement cant get ahead of the crime are fools. Well then we should just not worry about drunk drivers either, because they keep foolishly driving while intoxicated.
The police don't seem to get ahead of those either, really does not mean they should just allow it.
.
I think its funny how people are so judgmental about tattoos.. I am covered head to toe in tattoos, I also work for the federal government. I had all my tattoos prior to employment. Tattoos are beautiful. If you don't have one. You haven't lived.
tikitime,
Driving is a luxury that you and I responsibly take part in. Driving drunk compromises everyone else on the road which is a legitimate crime. The victim is everyone else driving on the same roads. Doing drugs is a victimless crime, however. Making drugs illegal is a manufactured crime. I hope you can understand this so that you don't make the mistake of confusing drunk driving with people getting high. As soon as someone high gets in a car they are committing a crime. Just like the law forbids anyone under the influence of certain cold medications from operating equipment and compromising the lives of everyone around them.
Removing the illegality of drugs focuses law enforcement where it belongs. No one cares about people having a few drinks at home. No one cares about people getting stoned at home. However, the illegal drug market encourages real criminal behavior. Non-violent drug dealers disappear.
Selling marijuana to underage youth right now is irrelevant since the sale of marijuana in general makes you a criminal. Remove the default criminal label and society is forced to deal with real criminals instead of non-violent potheads. Focus on real criminal behavior and stop placing a criminal label on behavior you simply don't approve of. It's wasting society's time and most importantly resources we just don't have.
You were the one that said hell.
Swearing? YELLING. Expression. I called it yelling because the courts yell in their decisions, and the OPINION is underlined. Caps lock is not necessarily anger.
I yelled an opinion, you swore. As far as how many people are in this town, they probably appreciate the exchange of information, opinions, reactions, and votes.
Since I'm not running for office in Alaska, you win what with your votes on the Juneau Empire website?
GET THE POINT!!! :\
Cheesy - victimless crime
You said doing drugs is a victimless crime. Please tell that to the kids that I know whose parents have spent every dime of their kids pfd's on getting high, or a friends spouse who used all of their savings on buying drugs and countless rehab stints, or another couple who refied their house to pay for rehab for their kid and will pay for the next 30 years. Or to me when my boat was broke into by a guy who pawned the things he took that I won't ever be compensated for, yes please tell me again how doing drugs are a victimless crime. Drug users can't keep a job and the only way for them to get drugs are to lie, cheat or steal or turn to dealing, which creates more users. You will never convience me that using drugs is a victimless crime.