Darknet Fentanyl Dealer Indicted for Selling Deadly Drug for Bitcoin

May 28, 2019 · Sourced to the U.S. Department of Justice

The charges described here are allegations. The defendant(s) are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. This page reflects only what the Department of Justice has publicly announced, and links to the original release.

A darknet drug dealer has been indicted for leveraging bitcoin’s apparent anonymity to sell fentanyl online.

District

Northern Texas

Announced

May 28, 2019

Status

Charged

Defendants

Sean Shaughnessy — age 51 · Dallas · indicted

Charges

Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
Max: 20 years in prisonSean Shaughnessy· indicted
Distribution of a controlled substance
Max: 20 years in prisonSean Shaughnessy· indicted
Distribution of a controlled substance analogue
Max: 20 years in prisonSean Shaughnessy· indicted
Money laundering (eight counts)
Max: 20 years in prisonSean Shaughnessy· indicted

Financial actions

seizure: $120,000 — Bitcoin sent to wallet addresses controlled by federal agents

From the announcement

“Darknet dealers often believe that by using bitcoin, they can evade authorities. This prosecution proves that's not the case,”

— Erin Nealy Cox, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, U.S. Department of Justice

“We will continue to pursue anyone peddling this deadly drug – on the streets or online.”

— Erin Nealy Cox, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, U.S. Department of Justice

“Our significant domestic and international HSI resources and expertise, along with the considerable resources of our law enforcement partners, provided an unbeatable team to investigate this fentanyl smuggling operation so that we could effect this indictment,”

— Katherine Greer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations' Dallas field office

“This deadly drug —combined with the secrecy of bitcoin currency — represent a significant danger to an already-devastating national opioid epidemic.”

— Katherine Greer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations' Dallas field office

Investigating agencies

U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of TexasHomeland Security InvestigationsIRS - Criminal Investigation DivisionU.S. Postal Inspection ServiceDrug Enforcement AdministrationMoney Laundering and Asset Recovery Section

Case details

Prosecuting office: Northern District of Texas
Assets: Bitcoin

CryptocurrencyDarknet Drug TraffickingFentanyl And Opioid EpidemicInteragency And International CooperationMoney LaunderingOverdose Death

Primary source

Every fact above is drawn from the Department of Justice's own announcement — a public-domain government record.

Read the original DOJ release →

This is a research and reference page compiled from public DOJ announcements, not legal advice. Details reflect the government's statements as of its release date and may not capture later developments such as appeals, dismissals, or overturned convictions. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.