Update: The FBI has arrested Charles E. Cotten Jr., the former Bergmann manager, for meth distribution, according to court records online. Updated story here: FBI arrests former Bergmann manager, accuses him of dealing meth.
—
The FBI served a morning search warrant at a Baranof Hotel room Friday morning, leading to the arrest of at least one man. A second search warrant was served at a harbor location.
While federal officials have not released any information about the warrants or the arrest, events were confirmed by the Juneau Police Department, whose SWAT team backed up FBI agents as the warrants were served.
“Yes, the SWAT team was downtown at the Baranof Hotel basically executing a search warrant,” said JPD Lt. David Campbell. “As of 10:07 this morning, the area has been secured. Nobody was injured. The operation went off successfully.”
Pedestrians who contacted the Empire said they observed JPD officers in SWAT gear block Franklin Street in front of the hotel about 8:15 a.m. Friday.
When the Empire contacted hotel general manager Steve Hamilton two hours later and asked him about the FBI and JPD operation, he said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
JPD Sgt. Sterling Salisbury, head of the patrol team on duty Friday morning, said FBI agents were working out of JPD’s offices Friday and had arrested one person. He said he could not release the identity of the arrested man and told the Empire to contact the FBI.
No one picked up the phone at the FBI’s Juneau office, and its voicemail was full. FBI Anchorage spokeswoman Staci Feger-Pellessier did not return calls for comment or respond to emails.
This story will be updated as information becomes available.
• Contact reporter James Brooks at james.k.brooks@juneauempire.com or call 523-2258.
