Gary Davis, the detained Silk Road assistant accused of aiding the activities of the market, has reportedly commenced talks with prosecutors over a plea deal.
His case involves accusations linking him to the darknet-supported drug business that garnered millions of dollars.
After he was extradited to the United States from his home country of Ireland, Davis currently remains in police custody in the Southern District of New York.
Background
The Investigation
Retrospectively, events leading to Davis' arrest began with thorough investigations from authorities. The operation targeted him, as well as two other suspects linked to the Silk Road platform.
On December 20, 2013, law enforcement agents descended on Davis' home to respond to intelligence regarding the dealings of the man.
Interestingly, in concurrence, the properties of the other two Silk Road masterminds were raided by the feds-apparently following a lead of information sourced from the computer of Ross Ulbricht, the now-imprisoned founder of the Silk Road.
According to authorities, Davis allegedly was one of a three-person team accused of running Silk Road matters on behalf of Ulbricht.
Particularly, Davis is said to have received weekly remittances of sums exceeding $1,000, funds which are said to have been sourced from Ulbricht.
Davis operated as the darknet market's content manager-posting drug listings on the Silk Road website. He also allegedly handled the site's customer care arm as well.
The feds came across Davis' messages, which were sent under the pseudonym "Libertas."
This, according to authorities, adds to the wealth of information indicating the man's knowledge about the various forms of crimes accommodated on the Silk Road platform.
Plea of Innocence
Earlier this year, Davis pleaded not guilty to accusations of drug distribution conspiracy, hacking and financial crimes.
Davis had been extradited from Ireland to face a U.S. court, where he made the "not guilty" plea on July 19, 2018.
An Ongoing Plea deal
In the latest news, Davis has already set groundwork towards a plea deal.
He has begun negotiations with prosecutors to aim for a less severe sentence. Such a sentence would be considered if Davis is ready to plead guilty and bypass trial.
According to reports, the plea hearing was scheduled to occur in due course but the exercise was adjourned for two weeks, thanks to a letter issued by the district attorney to Judge Jesse Furman.
In the letter, details surrounding the negotiations were expressed, showing that the dealing parties were already in late-stage in context of the pretrial.
The district attorney requested for such an adjournment in order to dispose enough time for a conclusion to be reached regarding the deal.
Additionally, it highlighted the fact that Davis' legal team found the possible adjournment as a welcome idea.
Looking back, Davis' case was tumultuous by its own right. He had tried opposing his extradition to the U.S., citing his worry concerning health issues.
Concerning this, Davis had feared that relocation to U.S. soil would threaten his health interests in the context of managing Asperger's syndrome-a condition he suffers.
In a statement made in 2016, Davis likened the prison set for his admission as the "Guantanamo Bay of New York."
Ultimately, Davis' interests were not satisfied since the court claimed that he did not suffer a severe case of the disease.
It is for this reason that the Supreme Court ruled out his request.
Hitherto, the outcome of the plea negotiations will determine the date of the plea hearing, likely later this month.
Disclaimer:
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