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 Biden administration’s DOJ was too busy going after Trump et al.
New President. New FBI director. The last paragraph sums it up.
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?
Sorry to say this but our police department is a big joke. The people that run this shootshow are either incompetent of just dishonest.
This goes back to Bronson and even Iady acting mayor.
Overtime
Maybe because the country was being run by a crime family …dah!
Why, Why Why. Cuz Chelsea Inn was paying Someone, to look the other way. When you have a Unionized Police Force, this is what you get. 5 YEARS!!!!!!
This is how our government works ?? 5 years?? Unbelievable. 1000 emergency calls in 5 years. Tax dollars hard at work. Where was APD?? Good job city of Anchorage.
Local LEOs just outed themselves as incompetent boobs. Anyone surprised?
I imagine the timeframe of 5 years was needed for proper documentation and case building. If there is one stone left unturned the entire case can be dropped. Offenders are often represented by sympathetic public defenders and judges. BTW, who was the president during the majority of these five years?
So, let’s think about the past five years. First, we had COVID, then the Biden presidency. No wonder nothing happened till now. It’s absolutely shameful that this went on for so long. How many deaths, ODs, rapes, assaults and other heinous crimes happened in that building and its vicinity during this time? Law “Enforcement” owes an apology to everyone in that neighborhood and to families of the victims associated with that place.
Also retrieved at the scene, Hunter Biden’s 4th laptop; several terrible paintings and a Presidential AutoPen device.
Hunter Biden’s laptop. Hahahahaaaaa good one.
And that children is what happens when the Mayor doesn’t get what she thinks you owe her.
Shocking? Have you ever been on Spenard Road? Honestly, this is one of many locations where this is happening. A real police department would know that and act accordingly. Somebody somewhere is getting well paid.
A change of mentality from the very top down allowed the Feds to take the gloves off and vanquish this place. I had never seen it so bad in 10 years, and it is now a pleasant ghost town since. I realize it is whack a mole, but an incredible difference between Brown Jug and Circle K now, if you live here you know
It took five years to shut it down and it will be another five years before it is settled in court while they are out on bail. With facing only 20 years confinement, if convicted they might only serve a few years. So much for being tough on crime……….
Would be nice to know where it was.
Wow! One thousand emergency calls, murder, drug distribution and it took five years to do something? That’s nothing to be proud of, Anchorage. Thank goodness and President Trump that we now have active, responsive Federal law enforcement.
Democrats are screaming what a ruthless dictator the President is for his determination to use the National Guard to get the crime under control to protect the innocent victims.
That is exactly how the Democrats want their surroundings to stay. Out of control with total chaos therefore making it easier to remain in power with a large portion of the population on the verge of homelessness and psychotic madness.
There is big money to be made on the homeless.
Lets audit Mark Begich and Meg Zaletel to get some real numbers with the ASSembly backing them to the hilt with our money.
You know with a name like Kyoung Seo, the offender comes from the outskirts of “London.” Deport him to that nice facility in El Salvador for a spa treatment!
Spot on Andy!
All this mumbo jumbo about the president. Shut up.
It won’t stop. Check the hotel next to macdonalds on spenard rd next, i’m sure that’s no different.