Fairbanks man sentenced to 30 years for carrying a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime (DOJ)

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - A Fairbanks man was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison for carrying a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, in early 2025, the Fairbanks Police Department conducted eTraces on firearms recovered at multiple crime scenes. Several firearms were linked to Mason Lanon, 23.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) ran a query in the ATF National Tracing Center (NTC) for Lanon. They determined that between September 2024 and March 2025, Lanon purchased 20 firearms from licensed firearms dealers. Five of the firearms purchased by Lanon were recovered and linked to crimes in the local area.

ATF contacted FFLs in the Fairbanks area for records of Lanon's firearm purchases. Between the NTC and FFL records, Lanon was associated with over 70 firearms in a one-year period.

As part of the investigation, on May 26, 2025, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase for one firearm from Lanon. On Aug. 7, 2025, law enforcement conducted another controlled purchase of one firearm with a suspected machinegun conversion device (MCD) installed and over 14 grams of cocaine from Lanon. During this purchase, Lanon was in possession of a second firearm with an MCD installed.

Investigators concluded that Lanon is the leader of a local gang known as the Soul Reaper Gang and built a reputation as the "go to guy" for gangs in Fairbanks to obtain firearms and some drugs.

On Nov. 20, 2025, Lanon was indicted by a federal grand jury with one count of unlicensed dealing in firearms, one count of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of carrying a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime. On June 2, Lanon pleaded guilty to one count of carrying a machine gun in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

"Mr. Lanon's illegal firearm and drug dealing directly fueled violence and crimes throughout the Fairbanks community, including within his gang affiliations," said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. "This sentence should serve as a reminder that the act of carrying a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime will result in decades behind bars. I commend our law enforcement partners for uncovering the extent of Mr. Lanon's trafficking and ceasing his ability to continue his reign of chaos."

"I cannot overstate the dangerousness of machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), especially in the hands of violent criminals," said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. "The illegal trafficking of these devices, particularly alongside firearms and narcotics, represents a direct and serious threat to our communities. Offenders like Mr. Lanon should take note: ATF will leverage every investigative tool and partnership available to take these illegal devices off the streets to prevent them from being used to fuel violent crime."

"Mr. Lanon's actions put firearms directly into the hands of individuals committing violent crimes in Fairbanks," said Fairbanks Police Department Chief of Police Ron Dupee. "FPD's firearm tracing and investigative assistance played a key role in stopping that pipeline. We will not tolerate gun traffickers operating in our city threatening our way of life."

The ATF Anchorage Field Office, Alaska State Troopers and Fairbanks Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the DEA Anchorage Field Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.

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