Silk Road Founder, Ross Ulbricht, Gets Life In Prison Without Parole

DoYouEvenLift

Ross Ulbricht, creator of the underground website Silk Road, which let users anonymously buy and sell anything from drugs to hacking tutorials, was sentenced Friday to life in prison after he made a tearful plea for leniency.


Ulbricht, who is 31, was convicted in February on seven counts ranging from money laundering to drug trafficking. He could have been sentenced to only 20 years.


U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest was clear that she was making an example of Ulbricht in part to deter others from committing similar crimes. "There must be no doubt that no one is above the law," Forrest said. "You, as the defendant, have to pay the price." She said anyone considering following in Ulbricht's footsteps needs "to understand there will be very serious consequences."


The judge also said there was "no doubt" that Ulbricht paid for murders of those who had threatened Silk Road. Prosecutors had charged Ulbricht with commissioning six murders-for-hire but those charges were dropped and there is no evidence that these murders were ever carried out.

Silk Road was a first of its kind -- an unregulated online marketplace where buyers paid using Bitcoin, an electronic currency that is hard to trace. In the three years before it was shut down, it facilitated over 1.5 million transactions totaling $214 million.

Ulbricht, who has been jailed since his arrest in October 2013, never testified at his trial. He expressed his remorse in a letter to the judge.
"If I had realized the impact my creation of Silk Road would ultimately have on the people I care about most, I never would have created Silk Road," Ulbricht wrote. "I created it for what I believed at the time to be selfless reasons, but in the end it turned out to be a very selfish thing to do."

http://money.cnn.com/2015/05/29/technology/silk-road-ross-ulbricht-prison-sentence/

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/founder-silk-road-drug-marketplace-195900814.html




Good job, war on drugs! Well done, American justice system. This guy who create a site for ADULTS to buy substances that they chose, as ADULTS, to use is given a far harsher sentence than murderers and child molesters. There seems to have been no evidence for him ordering to have people murdered yet he received a sentence as if there was.


I think he should definitely be sentenced to serve time in prison but not life and should also get parole because, although I feel some drugs that were available on the site should be completely legal, he did seem to condone a lot of other criminal activity that took place on there. There are still plenty of other far worse sites on the deep web that should have founders and members receive sentences like this yet here they are just desperately trying to make an example out of this guy.


And then the moronic parents who think their kids should have no personal accountability for the choices they made when they're the ones who decided to take drugs and overdose. If they didn't get drugs from his site they would've gotten drugs from elsewhere - the bottom line is they wanted drugs regardless. Cringeworthy. Laughable!

blatantrereg

yeah they are trying to make an example out of him.
Didn't know Silk Road didn't allow more nefarious goods such as child porn and weapons.
Not surprised he got life. Doubt he'll successfully appeal the sentence. It became a massive world-famous operation.

Beta Canis Majoris

There's about 5 large sites which have taken it's place by now anyway, and have exponentially more traffic than silk road. The war on drugs has failed miserably. A different approach is long overdue.

AllGunsBlazing

I feel safer already.

DoYouEvenLift

Beta Canis Majoris wrote: »

There's about 5 large sites which have taken it's place by now anyway, and have exponentially more traffic than silk road. The war on drugs has failed miserably. A different approach is long overdue.

There are honestly other sites on there more deserving of being shut down and the founders treated like this. I'd place far more importance on paedophiles sharing child porn being found and convicted than founders of sites where fully grown adults, who are going to do drugs either way, buy drugs.


It's honestly a bit comical how ridiculous the handling of drugs and criminal activity surrounding them is. It's the same way now as it was back in the 50's. Almost everything else undergoes modernisation and updating but this one thing stays the same.

Amirani

I don't think life in prison without parole is justified for anything other than murder or if someone is deemed to be too big a threat to re-enter society. "Making an example" of someone to deter others isn't proper justice.

DoYouEvenLift

Also, if anything he actually provided a much safer and more trustworthy way for drug users to obtain the drugs they wanted to and were going to use no matter what. Apparently there was a trustworthy 'review' system established on there that also included details on the drugs purity and full contents and this is much more than most loser drug dealers would be able to provide drug users since they all cut their drugs with who knows what and also obtain it from possibly shady drug mules. The judge was most definitely swayed by those parents bullsh!t emotional statements that completely disregarded their sons'/daughters' personal accountability.

uch

Bollix, I've lived with a drug problem for 30 years and cúnts like this that make it easier to score whatever you want are as guilty as the lads on O'Connell bridge, they have no thought for anybody but themselves, so fuk him, rot in hell you fuker

usernamegoes

uch wrote: »

Bollix, I've lived with a drug problem for 30 years and cúnts like this that make it easier to score whatever you want are as guilty as the lads on O'Connell bridge, they have no thought for anybody but themselves, so fuk him, rot in hell you fuker

Other people are not responsible for your drug problem.

Amirani

uch wrote: »

Bollix, I've lived with a drug problem for 30 years and cúnts like this that make it easier to score whatever you want are as guilty as the lads on O'Connell bridge, they have no thought for anybody but themselves, so fuk him, rot in hell you fuker

You could make the same argument about airlines or ferry companies - they make it easier to score whatever you want by transporting passengers that could carry drugs. That's equivalent to what Ulbricht did. He didn't sell any drugs, he set up an online marketplace that allowed people sell whatever they wanted on it.

Suggesting that such a crime should receive a sentence equal to that for a mass murderer or rapist is nonsensical. There's clearly needs to be a distinction there.

DoYouEvenLift

uch wrote: »

Bollix, I've lived with a drug problem for 30 years and cúnts like this that make it easier to score whatever you want are as guilty as the lads on O'Connell bridge, they have no thought for anybody but themselves, so fuk him, rot in hell you fuker

What are your thoughts on CEOs of tobacco and alcohol companies?

Dr. Mantis Toboggan

usernamegoes wrote: »

Other people are not responsible for your drug problem.

Well that's him told!

usernamegoes

Dr. Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Well that's him told!

Seems he needed it.

MightyMandarin

usernamegoes wrote: »

Other people are not responsible for your drug problem.

They aren't, but they certainly make it harder for people like him to quit. Drug addiction is ridiculously hard to kick, and sites like Silk Road make it a lot more convenient to obtain drugs, and harder for him to kick his addiction.

I don't think he should've been denied the possibility of applying for parole, but the guy was a scumbag imo, and deserves a lengthy sentence.

uch

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

What are your thoughts on CEOs of tobacco and alcohol companies?

Look I've never made a secret of my problems, I am what you'd call a recovering addict, i'm off the gear 13 years, but then I had problems with sleeping pills for another 6 years or so, then pain killers, then whatever else I could get, I still drink Beer, but don't smoke, I had to give up smoking when I gave up weed and hash, but to compare tobacco and alcohol to what these cúnts were peddling is a bit naive in my opinion and there's no comparison

uch

usernamegoes wrote: »

Other people are not responsible for your drug problem.

Never said they were my friend, I take full responsibility for my drug taking and actions there after

MightyMandarin

uch wrote: »

Look I've never made a secret of my problems, I am what you'd call a recovering addict, i'm off the gear 13 years, but then I had problems with sleeping pills for another 6 years or so, then pain killers, then whatever else I could get, I still drink Beer, but don't smoke, I had to give up smoking when I gave up weed and hash, but to compare tobacco and alcohol to what these cúnts were peddling is a bit naive in my opinion and there's no comparison

Actually I think your opinion is naive. There are thousands of people dying in this country every year because of the damage of tobacco, and thousands others suffering from alcoholism too. Alcohol and cigarettes are as bad as drugs imo.

uch

MightyMandarin wrote: »

Actually I think your opinion is naive. There are thousands of people dying in this country every year because of the damage of tobacco, and thousands others suffering from alcoholism too. Alcohol and cigarettes are as bad as drugs imo.

You don't know what you're talking about my friend, sorry

MightyMandarin

uch wrote: »

You don't know what you're talking about my friend, sorry

Enlighten me then. I know all too well the problems that drink creates, and I've witnessed the damage it has done to some families.

uch

MightyMandarin wrote: »

Enlighten me then. I know all too well the problems that drink creates, and I've witnessed the damage it has done to some families.

Have you any idea what problems Heroin does to a family

DoYouEvenLift

uch wrote: »

Look I've never made a secret of my problems, I am what you'd call a recovering addict, i'm off the gear 13 years, but then I had problems with sleeping pills for another 6 years or so, then pain killers, then whatever else I could get, I still drink Beer, but don't smoke, I had to give up smoking when I gave up weed and hash, but to compare tobacco and alcohol to what these cúnts were peddling is a bit naive in my opinion and there's no comparison

Not really. They're all drugs that us as adults can choose to either consume or not consume, it's just tobacco and alcohol happen to be 'legal'. Alcohol is more detrimental to one's health than marijuana and other illegal drugs so since we're disregarding the personal responsibility and accountability of the 'users' here then the CEOs of alcohol companies should then be considered as bad as drug dealers and people like Ross Ulbricht.

MightyMandarin

uch wrote: »

Have you any idea what problems Heroin does to a family

I imagine it's pretty horrific, but to pass off alcohol and tobacco as a different category is wrong imo. Alcohol and tobacco may be legal, but that does not mean they don't cause significant damage to society.

uch

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

Not really. They're all drugs that us as adults can choose to either consume or not consume, it's just tobacco and alcohol happen to be 'legal'. Alcohol is more detrimental to one's health than marijuana and other illegal drugs so since we're disregarding the personal responsibility and accountability of the 'users' here then the CEOs of alcohol companies should then be considered as bad as drug dealers and people like Ross Ulbricht.

I'll refer you to post #18

nxbyveromdwjpg

uch wrote: »

Have you any idea what problems Heroin does to a family

Loads. And like most that's why I've never taken it. Why did you decide to take it up? Is that the part your blaming on other people?

uch

nm wrote: »

Loads. And like most that's why I've never taken it. Why did you decide to take it up, and is that the part your blaming on other people?

Never blamed anyone but myself love, but carry on

nxbyveromdwjpg

uch wrote: »

Never blamed anyone but myself love, but carry on

I'll refer you to post #8

MightyMandarin

uch wrote: »

I'll refer you to post #18

Why are you using the 'you don't have personal experience of drugs' as some sort of a cop out? I've never taken drugs or smoked, and I've drank a handful of times, but I know the horrific damage that drugs cause.

Being a recovering addict does not make you an expert in this field; you have personal experience alright, but that does not mean your opinion is more knowledgeable than those who don't.

DoYouEvenLift

uch wrote: »

Have you any idea what problems Heroin does to a family

Who doesn't? I think basically every adult is aware of what consequences come of heroin use for both themselves and their family and that's why I would never choose to use heroin. Heroin users are the ones who chose to use the drug and because of their choice then had to deal with the resulting consequences.


Don't get me wrong, I feel sorry for heroin addicts because they're addicts like any other and need help but as adults it is entirely up to them to choose to get that help.

uch

MightyMandarin wrote: »

Why are you using the 'you don't have personal experience of drugs' as some sort of a cop out? I've never taken drugs or smoked, and I've drank a handful of times, but I know the horrific damage that drugs cause.

Being a recovering addict does not make you an expert in this field; you have personal experience alright, but that does not mean your opinion is more knowledgeable than those who don't.

I think my experience is pretty knowledgeable compared to those who don't to be honest, because those who don't, quiet frankly don't know

MightyMandarin

uch wrote: »

I think my experience is pretty knowledgeable compared to those who don't to be honest, because those who don't, quiet frankly don't know

Oh come on, 99% of people in this country know that drug addiction is horrible and anyone who walks through Dublin city on any given day will see the damage that drugs has done to some people.

Also, is a family member of an addict, despite never having taken drugs themselves, any less knowledgeable about drug addiction than you are, despite having first-hand experience of the damage it causes?

The only thing you have over non-drug users, in terms of knowledge, is that you know what it feels like to get high and to be addicted to a drug. Everybody else knows that drug addiction takes over one's entire life and can ruin it.

uch

Did you start smoking Heroin when you were 14? when you knew, and quote

MightyMandarin wrote: »

Everybody else knows that drug addiction takes over one's entire life and can ruin it.

MightyMandarin wrote: »

Oh come on, 99% of people in this country know that drug addiction is horrible and anyone who walks through Dublin city on any given day will see the damage that drugs has done to some people.

Also, is a family member of an addict, despite never having taken drugs themselves, any less knowledgeable about drug addiction than you are, despite having first-hand experience of the damage it causes?

The only thing you have over non-drug users, in terms of knowledge, is that you know what it feels like to get high and to be addicted to a drug. Everybody else knows that drug addiction takes over one's entire life and can ruin it.