'Dark Web' Gun Smuggler From Atlanta Sentenced

ATLANTA, GA — An Atlanta man is headed to federal prison for illegally selling guns to people in foreign countries using the murky, mysterious "dark web" to try to hide his identity.

Sherman Jackson, 28, of Atlanta, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg to one year, nine months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. Jackson pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the U.S. on August 20, 2015.

According to federal prosecutors, Jackson — along with another man from Atlanta, one from Cobb County and one from East Point — illegally shipped guns to more than 10 countries using an online storefront called "Cherry Flavor" on the secretive "darknet."

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"This operation dismantled a major international gun trafficking organization ...," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. "People who choose to commit this type of crime must understand that there are serious repercussions for the illegal trafficking of firearms. Whether here at home in the U.S. or across international borders, ATF will remain on the frontline in identifying, investigating, and arresting anyone involved in firearms trafficking."

Jackson used darknet website Black Market Reloaded (BMR) to create his online storefront. The site operated on The Onion Router (TOR), which is designed to provide virtual anonymity to its users — in many cases to sell or buy illegal items like firearms, drugs and child pornography.

In early 2013, he, William Jackson, Gerron Johnson and Brendan Person began advertising firearms for sale on the site. They got their guns online then sold them at extremely marked-up prices. For example, they sold one Glock pistol normally valued at around $500 for $3,400.

The ATF worked with international partners to reclaim guns in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Zambia. Cherry Flavor sold more than 70 firearms worldwide, prosecutors say.

In addition to using TOR, they also concealed their trafficking by requiring buyers to use Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency that makes it difficult to trace financial transactions. They hid firearms inside electronic equipment shipped internationally to bypass U.S and foreign customs offices.

Previously in the case:

• Gerren Johnson, 29, of Austell, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the U.S. on January 9, 2018.
• Brendan Person, 29, Atlanta, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the U.S. on January 31, 2017.
• William Jackson, 29, of East Point was sentenced to two years on probation. He pleaded guilty to smuggling goods from the U.S. on October 17, 2017.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracia M. King and Stephanie Gabay-Smith prosecuted the case.

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