US Citizen Gets Prison for Selling Cryptocurrency Drugs

California resident Sky Justin Gornik has been convicted of selling drugs for cryptocurrencies in darknet markets.

Gornik pleaded guilty to using the Alpha Bay, Trade Route, Abraxas, Evolution, Outlaw Market, and Dream Market trading floors to trade fentanyl, carfentanil, ketamine, oxycodone, amphetamine, and other drugs, according to a U.S. Department of Justice statement.

During a search of Gornik’s house on June 7, 2017, law enforcement officers seized 1.7 grams of carfentanil and fentanyl tablets, according to court documents. The amount seized of carfentanil, a potent synthetic opioid, is “more than 86,000 lethal doses.”

Gornik reportedly bought 600-1,200 fentanyl tablets per week for two years from another Darknet dealer, George Stephen Wallace. George was also held accountable by Oklahoma federal authorities for the manufacture of fentanyl tablets.

Gornik agreed to confiscate “millions of dollars” of cryptocurrencies, including BTC, STRAT, ETH, and XMR received for the drug trade. He kept cryptocurrencies on the accounts of the American exchanges Bittrex and Poloniex.

“Gornik admitted that these cryptocurrencies represented the proceeds of drug trafficking and were related to money laundering through the darknet,” the California Southern District Attorney said in a statement.

Gornik was sentenced to 70 months in prison for selling drugs and laundering proceeds using digital currencies. Special Agent Juan Munoz said:

“Today’s verdict for Gornik demonstrates the commitment of the Internal Security Service (HSI) and our federal partners to bring such criminals to justice. HSI will continue to aggressively prosecute those who break the law and endanger the safety of citizens by selling opioids and other dangerous drugs through the darknet. ”

Recall that in July, a drug dealer with Silk Road was accused of laundering millions of dollars through BTC. In addition, in April, three darknet drug dealers faced similar allegations. Last year, European police seized € 5.7 million worth of cryptocurrency from darknet merchants.