2 SR2 marijuana sellers arrested in California

http://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/durham-couple-indicted-as-part-of-silk-road-2-0-crackdown/ :

Two Durham residents have been indicted on federal drug charges, part of a crackdown on Silk Road 2.0, a series of black market websites used to facilitate drug trafficking. David Schell, 54, and Teri Schell, 59, were arrested after FBI agents learned they were accessing "Silk Road 2.0," an illicit network of websites that facilitated the trafficking of contraband, particularly controlled substances, until its worldwide dismantlement on November 6. On the same day the network was dismantled, agents searched the Schells' residence and found more than 450 marijuana plants a significant amount of processed marijuana, marijuana wax, and 12,000 in cash. According to court documents David Schell mailed more than 100 packages overseas between January and September of this year. David and Teri Schell have both been charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess marijuana with intent to distribute. David Schell faces an additional nine distribution charges. Both suspects are out of custody and are scheduled to be arraigned on November 26 in Sacramento.

This case is available in PACER as Case 2:14-cr-00325-JAM:

The complaint is distinctly unhelpful, and does not explain how they came to be monitoring the Schells' PO box. The impression I get, between the news article which drops some information not in the complaint (100 packages?) and the complaint, is that they started with the PO box address and worked back to the Schells from SR2. Unencrypted addresses?

Does anyone know what seller this was? They seem to have been a small seller who shipped from California to domestic & overseas, using primarily 'Forever' stamps, selling marijuana leaf and marijuana wax, and still active when SR2 was busted.

(Pointer from "oz" on Kingdom.)

EDIT: The IP wording seems to have been literal, given the explicit de-anonymizing language used in the DoctorClu warrant & complaint; presumably Cirrus was able to plant malware on the SR2 vendor .onion site.


Comments


[4 Points] None:

selling marijuana leaf and marijuana wax.

we love in such a wonderful time that this needs to be clarified.


[4 Points] None:

This is a textbook example of why it is smart for vendors to change their stealth/delivery methods and drop locations regularly. Not to say other factors weren't at play here perhaps, but I could imagine finding the Schell's would have proven to be a bit more difficult if they simply exercised proper OPSEC.


[5 Points] None:

Well my first thought was also the only guess from the kingdom forum...California Cannabis.

I would think they had more then 100 packs though they always seemed pretty busy. They def use those stamps as far as I can remember.


[4 Points] ThrowaMilkyWay:

The complaint is distinctly unhelpful, and does not explain how they came to be monitoring the Schells' PO box.

According to a SF Gate article:

"Law enforcement officials say they began to suspect the couple after discovering an Internet Protocol address was accessing the Silk Road 2.0 site; they traced it back to the couple’s home in Durham, a small town about 10 miles south of Chico."

http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/NorCal-couple-ensnared-in-dark-Web-drug-site-5907946.php

I seriously doubt LE directly linked their IP to SR2. One guess I have is that LE made a purchase or two, saw that the packages were coming from "a small town about 10 miles south of Chico", and contacted the ISP local to that area to find out specifically who was using TOR. That would make for a very short list of people to investigate.

OR

Maybe the Schells, after making sales to LE, let them know they preferred to be paid in cash and ended up sending them the address?


[3 Points] hugsfordrugs:

Que anyone who has bought weed or weed-related items from a California-based vendor from SR2 shitting their pants upon reading this.

The information given certainly doesn't help much in narrowing down the possible vendors.


[3 Points] joe-king:

Here is an article with slightly more details http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/NorCal-couple-ensnared-in-dark-Web-drug-site-5907946.php


[2 Points] ShulginsCat:

Good find.

they started with the PO box address and worked back to the Schells from SR2.

If they had the PO box, wouldn't they be able to fetch their identification through the post office?


[2 Points] None:

Time for them to get the hell out of dodge.


[2 Points] kpoloboy:

California PATIENT HERE....

Shipping any marijuana's out of state is illegal still.

Having that many plants, and producing concentrates is illegal.

Manufacture and possession of Marijuana PLANT IS LEGAL up to a X amount of plants.... (X = <100)

And from the Article, They ran a business named "Outdoor Living ENT"

Comeon maaan...


[2 Points] XxTheCrowXx:

Damn what a small world, I live not too far away from them. Im honestly not surprised, Durham is one of the biggest producers of MJ in NorCal.


[1 Points] BurnItDown23:

Apologies... I have no good info for you, just wanted to say thanks, as always, for the info.


[1 Points] None:

Never understood why anyone used SR2 anyway.


[0 Points] ahintofspicy:

Does this have anything to do with the 90 pounds of marijuana that was delivered to the store owner on accident this past week? I remember the shipping address was from California.


[0 Points] None:

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