Kristopher Gale Hanks, Conspiracy to Deliver Misbranded Drugs, Arizona 2017

PHOENIX – In a shocking turn of events, Kristopher Gale Hanks, a 40-year-old former Federal Air Marshal, was sentenced to three years’ probation yesterday by United States Senior District Judge Roslyn O. Silver.

Hanks’ downfall began when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deliver misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. The 40-year-old’s involvement in the crime dated back to 2011, when he assisted co-conspirators in making and selling ‘spice’ products. Later, Hanks made and sold a ‘bath salt’ product called ‘Flash Bang’ that was redistributed in Arizona and elsewhere.

‘Flash Bang’ contained the chemical 4-MEC, a stimulant compound that Hanks ordered from China. The investigation into Hanks’ activities was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, with the prosecution handled by D. J. Pashayan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

Hanks’ career as a law enforcement officer was marked by a series of high-profile positions, including stints as a police officer with the Salt Lake City, Utah, and Gilbert, Ariz., police departments, as well as a security contractor with the Department of Defense in Iraq.

The investigation into Hanks’ activities was sparked by his involvement in a conspiracy to sell illicit designer drugs commonly known as ‘spice’ and ‘bath salts.’ ‘Spice’ and ‘bath salts’ are drugs that look like marijuana or cocaine but are falsely labeled and sold as innocuous household products like ‘incense,’ ‘potpourri,’ or ‘bath treatments’ in an effort to circumvent federal drug and consumer laws.

With this sentence, Hanks’ involvement in the conspiracy has finally come to an end. The case serves as a reminder of the dangers of misbranded drugs and the importance of law enforcement agencies working together to combat this type of crime.

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

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