Running a darknet drugs market while being an American.
Here in Germany he would have gotten 10 years at the very most. Most likely 5 years since it's "only" conspiracy and the first conviction. Which means he would have been out in 2.5 years. From a prison which is basically a hotel compared to an American prison.
Plus, Germany is not permitted to extradite its own citizens.
He probably would never be able to leave Germany again, but if he was clever about anonymizing his remaining bitcoin stash, and keeping a low profile, he would be able to live comfortably without ever having to work again.
But what he did, was basically like walking into a lion's cage. Stupid, naive and with complete disregard for risk/reward ratios.
You are 100% correct. Someone had to say it. America is no place to seek freedom of any kind anymore. Those who value their freedom in America are already in jail or about to be arrested for something they believe in. It is demoralizing as can be.
However, know this: No one choses to be American save those born outside of its borders. It simply happens. You fall out of your mother's womb and before you can say a word about it either way, you are told you are an American. It has nothing to do with volition or beliefs. Just because you were born in America doesn't mean you meant to be born there. Inside, perhaps you feel much more like a Frenchman or a Spaniard or even a Greek but the transformation from American to Greek or whatever, is costly and hard to come by for most. It is harder to escape such awful circumstances than you may imagine.