NEW YORK — A federal judge sentenced Silk Road darknet mastermind Ross Ulbricht to life in prison Friday for founding and operating a criminal version of eBay that made buying illegal drugs almost as easy as clicking a computer mouse. After considering the 31-year-old Texas native's apology and plea for leniency, U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest ordered him to serve far more than the mandatory minimum 20 years faced for his February conviction on five criminal charges. The punishment, two life terms and three lesser prison sentences, matched the maximum punishment called for under federal sentencing guidelines and recommended by a government probation report. Saying the sprawling global drug operation "wasn't a game, and you knew that," Forrest also imposed a nearly $184 million forfeiture order on the Ulbricht. "What you did with Silk Road was terribly destructive to our social fabric," said the judge, who lectured Ulbricht that he was like any other drug dealer, even though his operation seemed sleek and safe as it handled hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions worldwide. Ulbricht, dressed in a dark-colored detention top and pants, seemed to stifle tears as he sought to explain himself before sentencing. "I had a desire to, I wanted to empower people to make choices in their lives for themselves and have privacy and anonymity," he said. "I'm not a self-centered sociopathic person who wanted to express inner badness." Pronouncing himself "a little wiser" and "more humbled," Ulbricht also said he was "so sorry for the families" who lost loved ones to Silk Road-related drug deaths. The statement contrast with his decision not to testify during the more than three-week federal court trial that ended with a jury of six women and six men finding him guilty after barely three hours of deliberations. The trial featured evidence Ulbricht used the nom de Net "Dread Pirate Roberts" — drawn from The Princess Bride novel and movie — to run Silk Road from 2011-2013 as an encrypted electronic bazaar. The site matched buyers and sellers around the world for billions of dollars of deals featuring heroin, cocaine, LSD, methamphetamine, phony IDs and computer-hacking programs. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/05/29/ulbricht-silk-road-sentencing/28072247/
If he really made $184 million he is an idiot for staying in the country. There are plenty of countries he could have operated the site from that doesn't have extradition to the USA.
No, the evil American legal system is scary. The monsters who rule this country will progress to torture if they can't get their way. Remember when you told me I was wrong that American prison sentences are the longest in the world, by far? Starting to believe me? Remember that when this country pretends to have the moral high ground over dictators.
No one should receive a 50-year sentence unless he kills someone. That one was about a week ago. But what I'm referring to is the first time you ever PMd me. About 3-4 years ago. I said that Europe is aghast at the sentences meted out here and you disagreed. Regardless, it's nice to finally see you surprised at the length of prison sentences, which are insane here. There used to be financial sanity in the legal system, when the country used to try to balance its budget. Ever since it gave up in 1981, the money available is infinite, so why not lead the world in prisoners per capita.
I just looked through my PM's, I believe the first time we talked via PM was Dec 2013 when you and PapaG got into it.
How can you not give him life in prison for masterminding a huge (and very innovative) criminal enterprise if you give some poor sap selling a baggie on the corner 5 or 10 years? barfo
It was long before that. You checked me out after I'd been here for a few months with something stupid. (Actually, I remember the details, but it's not worth recounting.) I trained you like a dog and you haven't bothered me much. What...you think that the more drugs someone sells, the MORE time he should get? That assumes that drugs should be illegal. Better reverse your upside-down thinking. This guy should get a medal.
...the same way crooked bankers can ruin the entire economy and not see a single day in jail, American "justice" at its finest
Wow, I'm seriously honored. You just lumped me in with all of the imaginary conversations you have with your imaginary friends.
So you've adopted Denny's drug stereotype of my memory being bad. He likes to say that when he has no other defense against logic. If you must hear details...One time I posted in a thread about some gay kid who got a 15-year sentence for trying to seduce guys online by pretending to be heterosexual. He was about 17. I thought, sure he should be stopped, but the simple humiliation of the police questioning him would have stopped him. 15 fucking years is a long, long time to put someone into a room. You have to be perverted to spend all day in your prosecutor's office looking for ways to destroy people whose transgressions didn't hurt anyone 1% as much as 15 years of being trapped in a fucking cell. So you PMd me and asked about my opinion. I was new and suspiciously said, first I need to know who I'm talking to. (i.e. are you some policeman or intelligence agency type looking to eliminate people who disagree). You didn't answer. After a few months, I decided I liked you. Ever since, I've been engaging when you PM me. (Like when you wanted me to say something nice about Wheels after I said he's fat.) Without checking my PMs for more, those are 2 times I remember you PMing me. Not that it matters. What matters is that I'm glad to see you question the length of one prison sentence. Now that I have turned you, I will get you to agree with me on every other issue. My ambition know no bounds.
No, I just think you have a lot of imaginary friends and I'm glad to be one of them. I can't wait to exchange imaginary Christmas cards this year.
Oh yeah, a 3rd PM exchange I remember. When others insulted a poster, you started substituting "SlyPokerDog" for the attackee's name. So I parodied it by saying bad things, with your name in the sentence. So you thought I was really saying bad things about you, were irritated and annoyed, and fired off a PM at me. I told you I was joking, but I stopped it. You decided at that time to take whatever I said lightly. Oh year, a 4th one comes to mind. (Love to prove Denny wrong about his snickering at my memory.) Fuck! While I wrote that sentence about Denny, I forgot what the 4th one is. Don't tell Denny!! ..it'll come to me. I remembered a specific 4th exchange you started, then it slipped my mind. Don't tell Denny or he'll use this against me in our next debate!!
I remember! You started writing a journalism-like blog or article after every game the team let you pretend to be a journalist at. So I thought, this will be funny. Each time he does, I'll write a parody or put him down or something. I thought, Sly will be somewhat amused as the butt of the joke. Well you weren't! You said, please stop. So I immediately did. Okay, I wasn't imagining anything! 4 examples without even checking! Now cut the criticisms of my memory! Denny started that repetition at me because it's the stereotype of anyone who admits to ever using drugs, as the majority did at any college I ever attended (I didn't go to religious colleges).
We could drop some invisible acid together right now. (The last time for me was 1973. I remember it vicariously like veterans remember the Vietnam War.)
