$63K In Fentanyl Bought From Dark Web, Sold By Gambrills Man

GAMBRILLS, MD — A Gambrills convicted of selling fentanyl pills with a street value of nearly $63,000 — in a quantity of 400 grams, or enough to kill 400,000 people — was recently sentenced to prison. Robert Luke Simpson, 25, was ordered to serve 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. As little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose, the U.S. Attorney's office said in a news release.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is more potent than heroin. In searching his home in the 2600 block of Carver Road, detectives from the Anne Arundel County Heroin Task Force found 6,296 fentanyl pills (391 grams) disguised as Oxycodone pills, the police said. The search resulted from an investigation into narcotics trafficking from the residence. Detectives also seized computer equipment, various concealment devices and $8,578 in cash.

“Drug traffickers are on notice that dealing in fentanyl increases their odds of federal prosecution," said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur in a news release. "We’re also targeting drug dealers who buy fentanyl on the dark web and re-sell this poison to our citizens.”

According to his plea agreement, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Simpson’s residence on October 11, 2017, and found 6,200 fentanyl pills weighing about 369 grams, in a hidden compartment in a wall-mounted shelf and on a desk. Officers also found the cash, cell phones, computers, iPads, and Bitcoin cryptocurrency mining equipment.

Prosecutors say Simpson admitted that he purchased 10,000 fentanyl pills from a dark web marketplace for about $10,000 worth of Bitcoin cryptocurrency. Simpson then sold the fentanyl pills for $5 to $10 each to customers in Maryland. He admitted that he sold between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl.

U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III also ordered that Simpson must forfeit money, property, and/or assets derived from, or used in his illegal activities, including the items seized during the search of his residence.