Bouncer arrested at Wasilla bar on drug charges, troopers say

A four-month investigation into drug trafficking at a Wasilla bar led to the arrest of an employee and the seizure of about $55,000 in cash and cocaine last week, with more arrests likely, Alaska State Troopers said.

Troopers and other law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at the Mug-Shot Saloon on Parks Highway Friday evening. said. Employee Mark Nester, 45, was arrested on a charge of third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance.

In August, detectives and detectives conducted a surveillance operation at the bar, according to a summary of police reports containing charges. An undercover detective spoke with a regular at the bar, who told him he could buy an 8-ball of cocaine for $240 from Nester, who worked as a bouncer, the summary said. The bar patron met Nester alone in the bathroom and then met with the undercover detective to distribute the drugs the regular had just purchased, it said.

During the investigation, the troopers’ Mat-Su Drug Task Force determined that multiple staff members were dealing drugs from the bar, the agency said.

Around 10 p.m. Friday, a task force consisting of officers from the Wasilla and Anchorage police departments, troopers and Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at the Mug-Shot and arrested Nester, troopers said. About $55,000 in cash was seized from the bar, along with cocaine, police spokesman Austin McDaniel said.

Few other details were available this week. McDaniel said the investigation was ongoing.

“We don’t normally issue press releases about ongoing investigations, but due to the very public execution of that search warrant, we felt it was important to provide an update on where we are now,” he said. “Investigators expect more charges. They do expect that more arrests will be made.”

A message left at the Mug-Shot Saloon was not immediately returned.