Today, the Department of Justice, U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal
Inspection Service (USPIS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced several arrests, charges and guilty
pleas as a result of “Operation Darkness Falls,” a joint operation targeting
people and organizations that sell fentanyl and other drugs over the dark net.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions was joined by U.S. Attorney
for the Northern District of Ohio Justin Herdman and other Justice Department
officials in Cleveland today to make the announcement, which included, at the
time of their arrest in April, the most prolific dark net fentanyl vendor in
the United States and the fourth most prolific in the world—MH4Life.
Making the announcement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions
said, “Today’s announcements are a warning to every trafficker, every crooked
doctor or pharmacist, and every drug company, every chairman and foreign national
and company that puts greed before the lives and health of the American people:
this Justice Department will use civil and criminal penalties alike and we will
find you, put you in jail, or make you pay.”
“The mechanics of drug dealing has changed, and law
enforcement has changed with it,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “These
cases demonstrate that those who think they are hiding behind a cloak of
anonymity on the dark net will be uncovered and brought to justice for selling
the drugs killing our friends and neighbors.”
According to court documents, MH4Life—Matthew Roberts and
Holly Roberts, both 35 and of San Antonio—were charged earlier this year with
conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and other crimes.
The Roberts’ created and operated several dark net
marketplace accounts, including MH4LIFE, TRAPPEDINTIME, FASTFORWARD and
MRHIGH4LIFE. They operated these accounts on dark net marketplace websites
including Dream Market, Silk Road, AlphaBay, Darknet Heroes League, Nucleus and
several others.
They used these accounts between 2011 and May 12, 2018 to
possess and distribute fentanyl, MethoxyAcetylFentanyl (MAF), other fentanyl
analogues, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, LSD, marijuana, Xanax,
Oxycodone and other drugs.
The Roberts’ MH4LIFE vendor account on Dream Market had
2,800 verified transactions with a 4.89/5 rating as of May 2018. Dream listed
that MH4LIFE had 500 verified transactions on the Agora marketplace and 719
transactions on the Nucleus marketplace. The only products listed for sale by
MH4LIFE were illegal narcotics.
MH4LIFE had the highest number of verified transactions
worldwide of any fentanyl vendor based upon a review of Dream Market.
The Roberts’ used private messaging, encryption software,
Virtual Private Networks and proxies through the TOR network to provide
security for the criminal organization. They used decoys, such as glow
bracelets and other mundane items, to hide the fact they were mailing
narcotics. They also purchased postage from third parties with cryptocurrency
in an effort to conceal their activities.
Customers used digital currency to purchase narcotics, which
the defendants sent to digital currency exchangers, where the funds were
converted into official fiat currency and spent on person goods and services,
as well as prepaid Visa and gift cards.
Their criminal case, filed in U.S. District Court in
Cleveland, is pending.
Other cases charged as part of Operation “Darkness Falls”
include:
DF44: Robert Kiessling was the third-largest fentanyl vendor
in North America as of early this year, based on number of sales. Kiessling was
arrested in coordination with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada. A
search of his residence uncovered fentanyl and other narcotics tied to the dark
net scheme. He was released on bond in Canada and committed suicide.
The Source, BonnieNClyde: Nick Powell is charged with being
a Xanax distributor and dark net money launderer. Powell was arrested and agents seized
$438,000 in Bitcoin. He has been charged in federal court in Cleveland with
conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The case is pending.
Dark King 22: Antoin Austin, of Euclid, recently pleaded
guilty to operating a dark net fentanyl business from an apartment cohabitated
with children and within a short distance from an elementary school. He is
scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 5.
MotleyFool: James Halpin recently pleaded guilty to his role
as a national dark net fentanyl vendor.
Panachecak: Ryan Kluth recently pleaded guilty to crimes
involving fentanyl and child pornography via the dark net. His plea agreement
calls for a sentence of approximately 10 years in prison.
“HSI and our partners are proud to be at the tip of the
spear combating illicit activities and financial crimes on the dark net,” said
Steve Francis, special agent in charge of HSI for Michigan and Ohio. “Criminals
groups who continue to peddle their illegal contraband via the dark net are
increasingly learning that they do not escape the reach of law enforcement.”
“Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners will
spare no resource or expense to shine a light on the sale and distribution of
illicit and dangerous items on the dark net, that serve to destroy the lives of
many through addiction and despair,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Tommy
Coke. “Our law enforcement partnership
and operation sends a strong message to those who choose this illegal path, we
are watching and will bring you to justice for your crimes against the American
public.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said:
“Criminals who think they can use the dark net and cryptocurrencies to hide
their actions are wrong, we will continue to work with, and leverage the
capabilities of, our partner agencies. The FBI is proud to have partnered with
Postal Inspection, HSI and others to identify and disrupt this criminal
organization.”
These cases are the result of a joint investigation
involving Homeland Security Investigations, U.S Postal Inspection Service, the
FBI and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. Federal agents
around the country, including in the Western District of Texas, Western
District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Florida and elsewhere, have
assisted in the ongoing operation.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney
Matthew J. Cronin and Daniel J. Riedl.
If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by
the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s
prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the
characteristics of the violations. In
all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most
cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of
guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair
trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable
doubt.
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