An incarcerated Pennsylvania man who was implicated in a drug-related robbery case involving a Susquehanna University student has been slapped with fresh drug charges.
It has been established that the accused served as the head of a darknet operation that traded in drugs which are reported to have led to at least six overdose cases in Snyder County.
The defendant, 19-year-old Noah Hendricks, is said to have ruled the drug ring that constituted 14 other people, all of whom are also facing charges in court.
Snyder County District Attorney Michael Piecuch made an announcement regarding the case by citing the eight-year-long investigation that resulted in the court charges.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro also confirmed the shutdown of the notorious drug ring that had littered the county with dangerous drugs.
Details: Exploits of the Young Drug Dealer
Allegedly, Hendricks is said to have been a key mastermind in the distribution of substantial consignments of Xanax pills, ecstasy, codeine, Percocet and psychedelic mushrooms.
The Hendricks case has been rather intriguing, if not shocking. Investigators found that Hendricks' drug trade operation dates back to high school when he sold marijuana to a base of customers.
Digesting the thought of a high school student running a successful drug ring, at his age, may prove to be a tall order.
Seemingly, according to Piecuch, the August 2017 arrest of Hendricks alongside other alleged accomplices may now appear to have been the "tip of an iceberg."
It is to this effect that the nature of the case prompted the involvement of a grand jury following a directive by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.
Big Question: What Were the Findings?
The findings of the grand jury reflected on the series of information about Hendrick's exploits.
Thus, it was established that:
During his time at Selinsgrove Area High School, Hendricks reportedly sold marijuana both within and outside of the school premises.
The jury learnt that these events occurred in the springtime of 2016.
Hendricks then extended his small drug business to incorporate networks existing far from his state.
Concerning this, he procured drugs over the dark web following personal contacts in New York, Philadelphia and beyond.
The witnesses involved in the Hendricks drug case reported that he possessed a surprisingly large inventory of narcotics.
They included several pounds of weed, Xanax pills in the thousands, and other high quantities of Percocet pills, ecstasy, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms.
Additionally, Hendricks had several sheets of concentrated cannabis.
Factually, the grand jury heard that Hendricks had once claimed to have received 5,000 less pills than he had ordered.
The now-jailed man sold weed at $20 per gram but would not charge friends for a supply of the drugs.
It was also established that, apart from selling drugs, Hendricks possessed a firearm, which he frequently carried around.
Further, the jury found out that Hendricks made impressive sums of money from the drug business, and was often heard bragging about his illicit achievements.
One of the key witnesses in Hendricks' case shared that he once saw a photograph of $100,000 cash.
Part of findings of the case exposed the fact that Hendricks masked his drug operation with an online jewelry business.
Another witness account claimed that the young drug dealer had invested in Bitcoins at some point of his career.
Moreover, apart from the Susquehanna robbery case that placed him behind bars, Hendricks and his accomplices are accused to have taken part in another crime at Clarion University.
Notably, Hendricks is alleged to have provided the firearm that was used to execute the two robberies.
Hendricks' bail on the fresh charges, as a compound of various other accusations, was placed at $2 million.
An Intersection: Dark Web-Sourced Xanax and Youth Culture
Xanax abuse has registered a sharp rise over the past few years.
Data indicates that the drug has established itself in the highest echelons of favored drugs abused by young people.
Certainly, Xanax is coming out to become one of the most sought-after drugs on the dark web today - it is a dark web force to reckon.
But how dire is the Xanax-youth culture situation?
Well, a focus on past events affecting younger demographics can illuminate the aspect of Xanax popularity among adolescents today.
Back in March, Dark Web News covered the case of an 18-year-old high school student who was arrested in Massachusetts for distributing darknet-purchased Xanax.
As reported, Ethan Morris, the accused, was ensnared by the police after selling drugs to an undercover agent unknowingly.
Further, a February 2018 report by BBC also sheds light on the predicament of British society regarding the encroachment of Xanax into youth culture.
It noted a lack of sufficient data to back information regarding the exact figures of Xanax consumption among younger populations.
What is known, though, is that teenagers in the U.S. and the U.K. have turned to the drug for recreational reasons.
To this effect, various stakeholders are now working to drive the agenda of protecting adolescents from the Xanax menace.
According to Bambos Charalambous, a British legislator, the establishment of sound research and support services is an imperative towards the realization of a Xanax-free society.
