Federal authorities have given more details about the raid and seizure of the notorious Chelsea Inn Hotel in Anchorage, described as long plagued by prostitution, violent crime, and drug activity. It was seized by the US Marshals Service on Friday after its owner and an associate were indicted in connection with a years-long conspiracy.
An Anchorage grand jury returned an indictment charging Kyoung Seo, 62, owner of the Chelsea Inn Hotel, and Chantel Fields, 36, with conspiring to maintain the Midtown property as a drug-involved premises. Both were arrested Friday.
The announcement was made at a press conference at the James M. Fitzgerald U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building by U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman, FBI Anchorage Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day, Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case, and Chief Deputy US Marshal John Olson.
Court filings allege that between October 2020 and August 2025, Seo and Fields conspired to operate the Chelsea Inn as a hub for illegal drug distribution and use. Investigators say Fields stored and distributed narcotics from the hotel, directed buyers to on-site dealers, and controlled access to the property by enforcing a $20 “door fee.”
The FBI and Anchorage Police Department began investigating the CIH in 2020 following reports of drug trafficking and violence linked to the property. Over the past five years, APD responded to more than 1,000 emergency calls at the hotel, including homicides, overdoses, and other violent crimes.
Federal and local law enforcement executed multiple enforcement actions at the Chelsea Inn during the investigation. In February 2025, officers seized nine firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and over 1.2 kilograms of suspected controlled substances during a search. On Friday, Aug. 22, coordinated raids were carried out at the Chelsea Inn and two Anchorage residences.
Agents discovered 11 firearms, two of which were hidden behind the hotel’s front desk, thousands of rounds of ammunition, significant quantities of drugs, and roughly $45,000 in cash.
That same day, the FBI executed a seizure warrant for the property. The US Marshals Service has now taken custody of the building, effectively shutting down what authorities say was a major drug trafficking operation.
Seo and Fields face one count of conspiracy to maintain a drug-involved premises, a charge carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Sentencing, if they are convicted, will be determined by a federal district court judge under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Tirpak and Seth Beausang.
The investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative targeting violent crime, drug trafficking, cartels, and transnational criminal organizations. The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force is leading the case with assistance from multiple federal, state, and local partners, including the DEA, ATF, IRS Criminal Investigation, Alaska State Troopers, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Over the past five years? It took them five years AND more than 1,000 emergency calls to do something about it WHY?
Because the Anchorage Police Department is inept and the local judicial system and court system is worthless. They had to bring in the federal agencies in order to get anything done and that took five years. Meanwhile, the locals had to deal with prostitution, drugs, stealing, murder, overdoses, lawlessness and drug induced homelessness for five years. So that the politicians could implement their crime cleanup initiatives and put another notch in their belt and get their names in the paper with a pat on the back telling each other, What a good job they did.
What took so long? 1000 emergency calls in 5 years. Doesn’t anyone in law enforcement know how to connect dots or would that simply be too much work?
Soooo, that means the case will be heard by Gleason?! Oh wonderful…….🤨😕😑 Should we expect bail to be suspended and own recognizance as well?
Why did it take 5 years to arrest.the owners?
Also retrieved at the scene, Hunter Biden’s 4th laptop; several terrible paintings and a Presidential AutoPen device.
And that children is what happens when the Mayor doesn’t get what she thinks you owe her.