A man and woman from Boca Raton, Florida, have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to produce and sell counterfeit drugs through the dark web. Michael Basalyga, 36, received an 80-month sentence, while Reina Chirinos de Urena, 39, was sentenced to 45 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier on October 9.
According to court documents, Basalyga and Chirinos de Urena worked with co-conspirators Omar Thomas Wala, Vienna Cavanaugh, and Philbert Campbell to manufacture pills resembling authentic alprazolam tablets—commonly known as Xanax—but containing other substances such as clonazolam and etizolam. The pills were stamped with numbers used by legitimate manufacturers to make them appear genuine.
The group distributed the counterfeit drugs both directly to customers and via darknet marketplaces using pseudonyms. Purchases were made with cryptocurrency by individuals across the United States, including in Kentucky.
Federal law requires that Basalyga and Chirinos de Urena serve at least 85 percent of their prison terms. After release, both will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for two years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division announced the sentences together.
"The investigation was conducted by the DEA, with assistance from the FBI, IRS, and United States Postal Inspection Service," according to officials. "Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosenberg is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States."
