Fentanyl, Dark Web, And China: How A Euclid Man Built A Drug Ring

EUCLID, OH — Earlier this year, undercover law enforcement bought cyclopropyl fentanyl from someone calling themselves DARKKING22 on the dark web. Whoever was behind that moniker also claimed to be selling molly, lofentanil, pure fentanyl, and a variety of other narcotics.

This week Antoin Austin, a 28-year-old Euclid man, — and the flesh and blood behind DARKKING22 — pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl. The Department of Justice said Austin bought narcotics from China, had them shipped to Northeast Ohio, and then distributed the drugs throughout the state and nation. FBI agents unearthed this makeshift drug ring and arrested Austin.

"Online drug trafficking takes the risk out of dealing drugs face to face," said FBI-Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones, whose team played a big role in identifying Austin. "But we want to send a clear message to those buying and selling drugs on the Darknet. You are not anonymous and we will find you. Shutting down this on-line illegal activity is a coordinated effort and all of our law enforcement partners are committed to stopping the opioid epidemic."

The dark web (or Darknet, as Jones called it) is the portion of the Internet that is only accessible with special software, where users are able to act with complete anonymity. Due to the nature of the dark web, it is frequently a breeding ground for illegal activity — including the sale of narcotics.

Austin's DARKKING22 persona first came to federal attention because of a post on the dark web. There, DARKKING22, advertised the following products for sale, the DOJ said: "Fentanyl Pure HCL, Methozymethylfentanyl ‘30490’, molly, pure lofentanil, and MMAF New Product.”

Most of the above-listed items are variants of fentanyl, court documents said. Fentanyl has been largely responsible for the uptick in overdose deaths during both Ohio's and the nation's opioid epidemic.

After spotting the advertisement, undercover investigators began making purchases of opioids from DARKKING22. Agents had to use bitcoins to buy the drugs.

When the drugs were shipped, they came in letters that indicated they had been moved through the Cleveland area. The first purchase of drugs by undercover agents happened in March 2018, when FBI special agents from the Western District of Pennsylvania bought and received cyclopropyl fentanyl, a Schedule I controlled substance.

That March shipment from DARKKING22 was then tracked by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspectors to a Post Office in Wickliffe, court documents said. Agents were able to watch Austin go from his home in Euclid to the Wickliffe Post Office, where he tried to mail packages using a false return address.

Those packages were intercepted by law enforcement. The parcels contained fentanyl, court documents said.

Prior to Austin's arrest, agents also seized a package shipped from a known Chinese fentanyl distributor to the 28-year-old. The parcel contained 10 grams of fentanyl, the Department of Justice said. The DOJ believes Chinese distributors were supplying Austin with his narcotics.

“This defendant ordered thousands of deadly doses of fentanyl from China, brought it to a residential neighborhood in Euclid and then mailed the dangerous drugs all over Ohio and across the country,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “Drug traffickers like this have enriched themselves while causing so much pain in our community.”

Austin pleaded guilty to the charges against him this week. He will be sentenced on November 5, the Department of Justice said.

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