Police make arrests

FROM THE ALEXANDRIA POLIcE Alexandria Police Make Arrests in Narcotics Investigation   Alexandria Police have charged James Hunter Hutchings, 31, and India Denise Powell, 30, with one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Conspiracy to Launder Money and the Importation of More than Five Pounds of Marijuana into the Commonwealth.  These offenses carry a minimum punishment of 15 years in prison. The Importation charge carries a three-year mandatory minimum sentence. These charges come following a nearly year-long joint undercover narcotics investigation.  This investigation has been a cooperative effort between the Alexandria Police Department and the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, along with other law enforcement agencies from Virginia, Maryland and Arizona.  The investigation into this criminal enterprise revealed that the defendants were importing several hundred pounds of marijuana into Alexandria and the Washington Metropolitan region from the Tucson, Arizona area.  Detectives have seized approximately 100 pounds of high-grade marijuana in this case during the course of this investigation.  Mr. Hutchings is being held without bond at the Adult Detention Center.  Ms. Powell is being held at the Prince George’s County Adult Detention Center, awaiting extradition to Alexandria.  A third defendant, Ernest Earl Hemby, 41, remains at-large and is wanted on four felony indictments of Distributing Marijuana, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, Conspiracy to Launder Money and the Importation of More than Five Pounds of Marijuana into the Commonwealth. This is an ongoing investigation and additional charges may be pending.