Two individuals, a father and his son, have been sentenced to five years in federal prison for selling drugs in person and on the dark web.
The drugs included fentanyl and oxycodone, and the sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.
The two individuals-Michael and Philip Luciano-sold drugs on AlphaBay, a dark web market that was shut down by federal authorities in mid-2017.
The father and son sold drugs using a vendor account under the alias "Zane61," where they received positive reviews for their product and service.
Opioid Dealing Operation Uncovered
Back in August, the two pleaded guilty to their charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute oxycodone, butyryl and fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is between 50 to 100 times stronger than heroin, and has garnered international headlines because of the fact that it has contributed to a tremendous rise in U.S. overdose deaths.
The substance has been in the news repeatedly since the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a national alert regarding the threat in 2015.
One notable aspect of the case is that in 2015, a repeat customer of the "Zane61" vendor handle had overdosed on their supply.
The text messages indicated that despite the non-fatal overdose, the Lucianos were still willing to sell drugs to this particular customer.
In 2017, Michael Luciano confessed to Homeland Security Investigations agents that his son usually handled the technological aspects of the drug-dealing businesses, while he handled the logistics of sending drugs through the U.S. Postal Service.
The Sentencing Terms
According to a statement issued by the Department of Justice, the Lucianos have not only been sentenced to prison, but are also forced to forfeit 2.5 in Bitcoin (the equivalent of nearly $8,500 USD) and an additional $15,953 together with other property that was not disclosed.
They were ordered to four years of supervised release after prison, as well.
Disclaimer:
The articles and content found on Dark Web News are for general information purposes only and are not intended to solicit illegal activity or constitute legal advice. Using drugs is harmful to your health and can cause serious problems including death and imprisonment, and any treatment should not be undertaken without medical supervision.
