A Texas couple who had thousands of online sales of fentanyl and other drugs pleaded guilty to drug crimes.
Matthew and Holly Roberts pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and other crimes. They are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2019.
The Roberts are both 35 and from San Antonio. 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.
MH4LIFE had the highest number of verified transactions worldwide of any fentanyl dealer on the dark net based upon a review of the Dream Market when the Roberts’ were arrested earlier this year, according to court documents.
They used these accounts between 2011 and May 12, 2018 to possess and distribute fentanyl, MethoxyAcetylFentanyl, other fentanyl analogues, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, LSD, marijuana, Xanax, Oxycodone and other drugs.
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 used cryptocurrency to launder their criminal proceeds. Customers used digital currency to purchase narcotics, which the defendants laundered and ultimately converted into official fiat currency and spent on person goods and services, according to court documents.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Cronin and Daniel J. Riedl following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. The charges are part of “Operation Darkness Falls," a multiagency federal task force specializing in the investigation and prosecution of dark net criminals.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
