Ross Ulbricht, the creator and operator of the darknet marketplace Silk Road, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on May 29, 2015. He was convicted on multiple charges, including:
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Conspiracy to commit computer hacking
Conspiracy to traffic narcotics
Continuing criminal enterprise (commonly referred to as the "kingpin" charge, which carries a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison).
Key Details:
Life Sentence: The life sentence was based on his role in facilitating the sale of illegal drugs and other illicit activities on Silk Road, which prosecutors claimed enabled billions of dollars in illegal transactions.
No Parole: Since the federal system does not allow for parole in life sentences, he will remain in prison unless his sentence is commuted or overturned.
Appeals: Ulbricht appealed his conviction and sentence multiple times, but these appeals were denied by the courts.
Supreme Court: In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his case, leaving his life sentence intact.
Some more factoids:
The prosecution in Ross Ulbricht's case was handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. The key prosecutors involved in the case were:
Preet Bharara:
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York at the time.
Bharara oversaw the case and was known for prosecuting high-profile cases involving cybercrime, terrorism, and public corruption.
Serrin Turner:
An Assistant U.S. Attorney who played a significant role in the trial.
Turner was the lead prosecutor and presented much of the evidence against Ulbricht, including digital forensic evidence and communications tied to the operation of Silk Road.
Timothy Howard:
Another Assistant U.S. Attorney who worked alongside Turner during the trial.
These prosecutors argued that Ulbricht was the mastermind behind Silk Road and bore responsibility for the site's extensive illegal activities, including drug trafficking, money laundering, and the solicitation of violence. Their case relied heavily on digital evidence, server logs, and communications found on Ulbricht's laptop at the time of his arrest.
As of January 2025, the current professional roles of Preet Bharara, Serrin Turner, and Timothy Howard are as follows:
Preet Bharara: After serving as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York until 2017, Bharara transitioned into academia and media. He is a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the NYU School of Law and hosts the podcast "Stay Tuned with Preet." He is no longer serving as a prosecutor.
Serrin Turner: Following his tenure as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Turner joined the private sector. He is currently a partner at the law firm Latham & Watkins LLP, specializing in cybersecurity and data privacy. He is no longer serving as a prosecutor.
Timothy Howard: Information about Howard's current professional role is not readily available from public sources.
Regarding involvement in federal charges against former President Donald Trump, there is no public record indicating that Bharara, Turner, or Howard have participated in any such proceedings. Their current professional engagements do not suggest involvement in prosecutorial activities related to Trump.
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