Silk Road forums
Discussion => Newbie discussion => Topic started by: Caudillo on August 27, 2013, 04:25 pm
-
So the feared CD is quite scary for people, and rightly so. I had one attempted on me for an intl shipment of over 10lbs of weed. I brought a police scanner and heard the cops at the PMB spot so I drove away. A month later I got charged with conspiracy, but if I picked up the package I would have gotten possession with intent. The package was overnighted via UPS.
Anyway, that is the basics, if you have any more questions let me know I would love to help the community understand this issue better if I can. Since I didn't roll it is still on my record so it still effects me greatly, but hopefully I can turn it into something positive for you guys.
-
Cool that you offer to answer questions about this here.
What was the final punishment you got for the conspiracy charge?
-
I was a first time offender, and paid $10k to a rather well known (and excellent) lawyer so I just got probation on top of the time I spent in county waiting for bail.
The charges would be off of my record totally if I had rolled, especially because of the state I got charged in (don't want to say too much more on that and give too much away I hope you understand).
I am very fortunate, but if i had picked up that box I would have done state prison time. Also helping is that I refused to give any statement which is something EVERYBODY should do no matter how much they lean on you. DEA agents came down to where I was being held but the locals told them I was not talking so they left and said to let them know if they found out more. At the same time they arrested me unmarked but obvious cops were watching my associate's parents house which was the address they still had for him I suppose.
If you have a cell phone in your name they will go through your phone records and try to figure out who your dealing buddies are by the call activity and what they know about the people in question. In my case they figured my associate I mentioned was coordinating things because he had a marijuana conspiracy conviction already.
-
What kind of police scanner did you use?
-
I don't even remember, it had been bought for me as a kid around 8-10 years prior, and it burnt out a couple of years later.
Nothing too high tech though, you could get a much better one at Radio Shack today.
Another thing that happened I forgot to mention is they had an informant make a run at me in the county jail, talking about how he had a great connect in AZ but needed to get the stuff here and "I heard you can mail it..." I just said "I never heard that before let me know how it goes." Don't trust people being nice to you in jail...
-
I should also mention the reason I thought it might be a CD was because the package was late, and when they finally called to tell me it was there it had dissapeared off of UPS tracking.
Though I was not too worried because the week before there had been a problem but it worked out ok.
-
So they were able to prove that you had made a transaction for the shipment and were specifically waiting for it? Everything I've gathered seems to say they need to do that to convict you, otherwise anyone could send anyone else to prison rather easily.
-
I think private couriers are much less safe than USPS...but I guess outside the USA the options are limited...unless usps ships from canada/mexico? :P
-
I'm interested how they got the conspiracy charge.. Phone logs I'm guessing? Did they intercept you on the phone? I would think they'd need more proof to get the conspiracy charge..
-
If I've learned anything from this thread, it's buy personal use quantities.
-
This is some good info. Thank you for sharing.
How did authorities know there was weed in the delivery?
Smell? What was so suspicious about your package? Previous packages that were mailed too often?
I do understand the personal quantity deliveries-there are just too many stupid people out there.
Appreciate all the input on here-I am new to SR, but a quick learner.
-
feel ya on the conspiracy theory charge but it surely wasn't for some dank ass dope weighing in at 10lbs for sure. I got snitched out though but nobody could prove it and I also got a good lawyer, had to serve some community service but didn't get locked up. The question is: How dafuq did they have evidence that the package was for you, let alone have authority to check your phone records which they would need probable cause. Anyways, good on you for not accepting but for some reason unless there was prior history involved you should have been good, possibly the diffrent laws where you are at snagged you. tough luck bro.
-
would you use the same shipping service again?
-
Hey just getting back to this thread so bare with me...
"So they were able to prove that you had made a transaction for the shipment and were specifically waiting for it? Everything I've gathered seems to say they need to do that to convict you, otherwise anyone could send anyone else to prison rather easily."
Just it coming to me was the biggest piece of evidence, they also had phone calls to someone with a conspiracy conviction, and the fact I had multiple drop spots in the area. They also found some disposed "packages (of sorts)" but could not tie those to me so I don't think that effected them drawing up a warrant too much.
I mean, when I see people talking about "oh they need this to prove that, or they couldnt get you for this without this evidence" 90% of it comes down to "tell it to the judge" and whether or not you are willing to take your chances at trial, and the DA's calculation of such odds. Keep this in mind as you proceed in this life, I see a lot of "wishful thinking" in this area...
-
"This is some good info. Thank you for sharing.
How did authorities know there was weed in the delivery?
Smell? What was so suspicious about your package? Previous packages that were mailed too often?
I do understand the personal quantity deliveries-there are just too many stupid people out there. "
I think previous packages were a big part, we were bringing in just under 100lbs a week at that time. And the week before there was a scare with that address in customs but it made it through. So I thought I'd be ok this week, but thankfully was still careful enough to bring a scanner. The bud was m39 with some friesland maybe, and vac sealed.
Someone else asked if I ever used the shipping service again and the answer is no, lol not even for legal stuff
-
The drop spot was in my real name just in case it was not clear. Stupid I know...glad I have a decade plus of experience and knowledge with me now...
-
I think previous packages were a big part, we were bringing in just under 100lbs a week at that time. And the week before there was a scare with that address in customs but it made it through. So I thought I'd be ok this week, but thankfully was still careful enough to bring a scanner. The bud was m39 with some friesland maybe, and vac sealed.
Proving the point again that CD's are almost exclusively done for large scale traffickers, and those of us buying personal amounts are mostly safe. LE had plenty of incentive to do the surveillance necessary to collect all the pertinent evidence to get a conviction. And this was likely long before TOR, BTC, PGP, etc. Any reasonably diligent SR buyer of small amounts need not worry, even if they were to catch you signing for a package, the case would not hold up in court unless they can prove you bought the stuff. Or if you opened your panic stricken mouth and admitted it.
-
I would say that is mostly true. Hell I know someone who they didn't bother going after when they intercepted a couple pounds. And they had busted someone else in another state getting a lot of pounds from the same trafficker (his case was in the news online, wish I could find it).
No matter what though never give a statement to a cop, it really cannot be repeated too many times!
-
I should clarify I mean them not doing CDs for small amounts is true.
However if you sign for a package, or otherwise accept it you will be in trouble if they bothered to take it that far to begin with. Just the fact it was sent to you, and especially if you received it will be considered major evidence against you, quite likely enough to convict especially when combined with whatever else they find in their investigation...and they will investigate if they brought it to the point of a CD.
Again, it is all what a judge and/or jury will think, and what a prosecutor will try for...keep in mind most people plea out...and for good reason...
And again lots of this "Oh but they will need to prove I arranged to have it sent beyond me getting it" stuff I see around here is wishful thinking.
-
I should clarify I mean them not doing CDs for small amounts is true.
However if you sign for a package, or otherwise accept it you will be in trouble if they bothered to take it that far to begin with. Just the fact it was sent to you, and especially if you received it will be considered major evidence against you, quite likely enough to convict especially when combined with whatever else they find in their investigation...and they will investigate if they brought it to the point of a CD.
Again, it is all what a judge and/or jury will think, and what a prosecutor will try for...keep in mind most people plea out...and for good reason...
And again lots of this "Oh but they will need to prove I arranged to have it sent beyond me getting it" stuff I see around here is wishful thinking.
I understand the thinking, but consider it from this point of view. If someone sent some random person a package that needed a signature in their name, they would likely sign for it, would they not? After all, it must be something important? Absent any other evidence (and if you are very careful on the road and with your online security there won't be), would a jury likely think that person was guilty beyond doubt of buying drugs? If that were the case, anyone could send my mother drugs in her name and doom her to prison. I mean, if LE finds a bunch of product in your basement you'd be fucked but otherwise? I've been arguing this for awhile and not everyone agrees, but show me how receiving something randomly in the mail makes a compelling case.
-
Like I said before it comes down to "tell it to the judge."
I mean, if I took it to court I am sure my lawyer would have used some of those points in his defense of me...would it have worked? Who knows? In front of which judge and jury? A better question is how many people will take the chance and roll the dice at trial to begin with? Should they?
You're right though it does seem someone could send someone drugs without them knowing, dime on the package and get them in serious trouble....scary thought...sadly not far fetched...