Another individual has been arrested in connection with a drug operation in Seward that was identified and busted by Alaska State Troopers in Sep. 2024. At that time, Troopers arrested 58-year-old Michele Spiers and 68-year-old John Hoogland, both of Seward, whom they had been investigating for roughly two months, on multiple Misconduct Involving Controlled Substance (MICS) charges.
Since the arrests of Spiers and Hoogland, AST has continued to investigate the case. In late November, Troopers filed charges against another man, John “Mitch” Spiers, in relation to Michele Spiers and Hoogland’s drug activity.
Then, on Saturday, Dec. 14, 42-year-old Daniel Hickey of Seward was also identified as a coconspirator in Hoogland and Spiers operation. Troopers’ investigation revealed that Hickey played a significant role in the purchase and sale of illegal drugs.
Hickey was already remanded at Wildwood pretrial after a Nov. 14, 2024, arrest for violating the terms of his conditions of release in a different case. At the time of that arrest, he was in possession of $3,413 in cash. After Troopers uncovered the connection between Hickey and the Spiers/Hoogland operation, they executed a search warrant to seize that cash.
On Dec. 12, Seward AST filed new charges against Hickey: three counts of MICS in the second degree, four counts of MICS in the third degree, and one count of MICS in the fourth degree.
Hickey was remanded to Wildwood Pretrial on the aforementioned charges without bail.