I was arrested in DNM related case last year. I'm starting to think I was coerced by a DEA agent. Let's talk about it (No personal info within, just details about social engineering)

Sometime last year I was arrested after allegedly ordering off DNMs. Case is closed and I am clear to talk about it, but I just want to discuss the possibility of undercover DEA/fed being the cause of the entire situation.

I was never a customer of any darknet markets, until I landed a job with someone I met over the internet. They offered me a position completely unrelated to drugs, and became my friend. We openly talked about smoking weed (because why not?) and everything started off without a hitch. From the get go, they were extremely nice with money, offered me places to stay since job required relocation, and pretty much paid for everything I wanted to do in an expensive city.

Talk about weed turned into smoking some, which led to discussing pasts about other drugs. All recreational, and we didn't do any together. All illegal, not including some RCs they would always talk about trying.

One day, during part of their everyday assistant work briefing, they decided to approach me about DNMs as kind of a "dude have you seen this shit" conversation. As a relatively young person who was slightly familiar with them, I thought it was cool, safe, etc and didn't mind hearing about them ordering personal amounts of certain things. Nothing more than I'd expect from any random dude experimenting with these cool new markets.

However, they started trying to involve me more and more. Had me buy BTC for them due to the interesting trading strategies (why not? it's not illegal, might as well learn to trade) and showed me around the markets often too. They claimed to have drugs they already ordered from said markets, and showed me them.

That's where things went downhill. They started pestering me to help in picking up their orders and tried to lump me into a "we are ordering" kind of thing. After arrest, I found out they were MUCH more than expected, and this person didn't seem like they had any reason or means to use/sell/distribute such large amounts. Although I never agreed to pick anything up, I was arrested as part of a sting outside one of their residences anyway.

The part that bothers me is that I never saw any drugs, just heard about them, and this dude did NOT seem like they were trying to use me as a scapegoat. They always talked about how "I reminded them of themself when younger" and formed an extremely personal relationship with me over the months I knew them.

Here's the kicker. Right after the arrest, I was told they were arrested too, and months later, allegedly died (cause untold, suggested may be overdose).

When I started my research after my case was closed, I found that they had relatively little internet presence for such an internet-friendly person. I found some forum posts, very stereotypically drug related, and a very hard to believe obituary.

Upon reading my own writing I expect some of you to say "dude they just used you, get over it" but I have some more information that includes personal details I wouldn't be allowed to share on this subreddit.

Though I'm open to discussing this with someone of experience, I'd be very skeptical and need verification that I'm not just getting snooped on further.

My main purpose here is to open up a conversation about the SOCIAL engineering aspect to catching DNM users and see if anyone here has experienced anything similar.

Thanks. No TLDR srry

EDIT: Would like to place some focus on network security. I used TOR as a student of netsec much prior to this case. Wondering if I was already on some watchlist. Totally a guess, too

EDIT 2: I typed this pretty loosely for multiple reasons. I'm willing to give more info but I'd rather be asked specifically, because otherwise this would be the longest post in the history of this sub. I appreciate willingness to discuss even with such broad summaries of a complicated story.

UPDATE I have decided to release the case number of the man who allegedly died during this investigation. Please see the related documents and the abrupt dismissal of the charges.

CRIMINAL DOCKET FOR CASE #: 1:14-mj-01579-UA-1

Most important: see complaint as well as "defendant custody status" to see why I feel he was relieved of any legal action and did not really die. Thank you


Comments


[56 Points] Ubley:

Is this not like, definition of entrapment?


[19 Points] Theeconomist1:

This is an interesting post but if you were some target, they put in a shitload of effort just to get a misdemeanor from you. To me it seems you got in the periphery of a drug case - barely involved, bad timing and they got popped. So do you think that these characters were a setup? If so its a lot of wasted effort.

Maybe the guys were CIs or they got in the witness protection program and "died". Or maybe they actually did die. Everything should be public record. Have you looked at their case? Were they tried separately from you? I'll re read this to see if I missed anything or misinterpreted something but prima facie, sounds like you were on the periphery of a drug case and got swept up with them.


[13 Points] AndThenHeSays4:

I'm really confused. I don't understand why they would even do this to you. What's the point of DEA doing this? What was the job you were doing? If everything was legal and then someone pulled you into a sting operation...why? I don't understand this post at all.


[9 Points] og_by_monsanto:

I have a tl;dr for you: don't take jobs from random people you meet on the internet


[8 Points] noseybast:

Sounds like that setup Canadian police do, has a special name and a Wikipedia page, I'm sure someone can recall the name


[8 Points] None:

What were you charged with?


[6 Points] None:

[removed]


[4 Points] None:

Sounds to me like you broke the Rule number one of DNM. Rule #1 Dont talk about DNM Sorry it happened.


[4 Points] None:

You are obviously not releasing a key factor in this whole ordeal. Seems that you have a technical gift that was used for illicit activities and this was the most efficient way to pin you with any charge at all. You seem very intelligent and wordy, you are not the average user.


[3 Points] iwdjjjjddddfddfd:

I hate to say it but the same thing happened to me, i was at a bar and got talking to the guy sitting next to me, turns out he worked for a small media company and had to find a actor for their next shoot since the last one stepped out for a few days during the shoot they were in the middle of.

I was like hey do i look the part, the guy looks me up and down and is like yeah ok, theres not a whole lot of hard acting involved so just dont flake out and do what we say, well i show up the next day at the office, they walk me into a room rigged with lighting and some camera gear, tell me to go sit down in the chair, everyone shuffules in and gets their gear rolling, next thing i see this blonde 12yr girl walks in with nothing but socks on with her hair in pigtails, says hi and immediately starts to go down on me.

I didnt get the sense they were going to let me leave so i went along with it until they said cut, which was about the time i looked down to see her face covered. Well they handed me a few hundred bucks and a bag of weed, as soon as i took the bag of weed several dea agents swooped in and arrested me, shits fucked up how far they will go to get you.


[4 Points] None:

[deleted]


[3 Points] PinkHorsey:

So you suspect what?


[3 Points] lemonbreak:

Can you talk about the outcome of your case? I'm curious to know what happened since you didn't actually see or pick up any drugs.


[3 Points] None:

I have no idea what the main thrust of this post is. Are you suggesting the person that supposedly "died" was an undercover LEO? That's ridiculous if so. It would be the most unnecessarily elaborate bust of someone in history.

Due respect, there are many shady things here and I believe some things you're not telling us about, which is fine. But I just don't see the point of this thread.

For example, you just randomly accepted a job from an Internet stranger and relocated?


[2 Points] AVBforPrez:

This comment has been overwritten by an open source script to protect this user's privacy.

If you would like to do the same, add the browser extension GreaseMonkey to Firefox and add this open source script.

Then simply click on your username on Reddit, go to the comments tab, and hit the new OVERWRITE button at the top.


[2 Points] PurpleBeamz:

How did they originally get in touch with you? Pretty good SE skills for sure, sounds like a pro.


[2 Points] None:

[deleted]


[2 Points] otistoole:

I don't feel like reading all the replies to see if anyone else said it, but, I could see this sort of thing happening. If 'they' wanted to drum up some publicity about the 'darknet', they will need some arrests and incidents to highlight the problem. It is common knowledge that our 'government' is not above manufacturing problems in order to provide the solutions. If you know what I mean.

-edit- I did read the replies, and someone else did say it.


[2 Points] -TheOgre-:

Colud you not go to the residence and look for the guy? if he WAS your pal, and not an undercover agent his family, friends, or colleges could verify it somehow surely?

i think it is possible your friend grassed some people up in exchange for witness protection to evade incarceration. This would be a Blockbuster theme like no other but is certainly possible.

i don't think any agent would be that intwined in a business and social groups as you explain because if they did disappear there would be issues making a seamless exit to say the least.

again these are just my opinions ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE :)


[2 Points] thehaga:

If it sounds too good to be true, it's probably because you're too young to know the difference or something.

Right now I'm in a similar quandary - some dude wants to start up a porn house using Mexicans.. all he needs is a few grand and someone who knows computers/money or w/e and I'm supposedly swimming in pussy and paradise forever.

Or I can keep my 10-20/hour jobs as a tutor. Yeah.. not a hard choice.

But I gotta see this dude everyday so I gotta go tell him no w/o him going off somehow.


[2 Points] Derekd88:

I think they were fishing and the guy was a Dea agent or an informant who had already got caught ordering off the DNM.


[1 Points] None:

What were you actually charged with? It sounds like you were arrested for being at a house during a sting, but what did they actually arrest you for?


[1 Points] FITmotherfucker:

UPDATE I have decided to release the case number of the man who allegedly died during this investigation. Please see the related documents and the abrupt dismissal of the charges.

CRIMINAL DOCKET FOR CASE #: 1:14-mj-01579-UA-1 Most important: see complaint as well as "defendant custody status" to see why I feel he was relieved of any legal action and did not really die. Thank you


[0 Points] 1sttimednm:

I feel like the person who got you involved in all this could have ended up in a witness protection program?

Maybe they were part of a bigger group or had info?

Just another avenue to persue in your hunt for what happened.


[0 Points] we_are_temporary:

Why would they fake this guy's death and put him in witness protection? Seems far more likely he got caught one way or another. He was an addict so his use increased and then either accidentally or intentionally he over did it. seemed to suggest he was buying quantities he couldn't possibly move. Dealing in person is a good way to get caught.


[0 Points] king_of_the_shill:

Had me buy BTC for them due to the interesting trading strategies (why not? it's not illegal, might as well learn to trade)

Yes, this is illegal. You need a money transmitter's license.

You were complicit. That is your crime.