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Two men, hailing from Orange County and Texas, were hit with heavy prison sentences for their roles in a darknet drug operation that distributed over 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills and other narcotics, causing several fatal overdoses across the nation. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Michael Ta, 25, was given a 21-year-and-eight-month sentence, while Rajiv Srinivasan, 37, received 19 years and seven months behind bars.
Running a darknet account known as "redlightlabs," the duo sold counterfeit M30 oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl and an assortment of illegal substances. They completed at least 3,800 transactions to some 1,400 customers, including 123,000 fentanyl-laced pills, sending drugs across all 50 states between February 2022 and November 2022. Having worked with encrypted messaging applications and using virtual currency for transactions, Srinivasan received his sentence after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl resulting in death, while Ta's guilty plea was for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
The destructive path left by the pair touched coast to coast, with victims ranging from 19 to 51, living from California to Florida. In a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, prosecutors noted, "Each of the five victims leaves behind a family that has been forever and fundamentally changed by defendants' actions." The ripple effect of their operation contributed to the national opioid crisis, leaving uncountable others victimized by addiction and despair.
In related proceedings, Omar Navia, 39, admitted to supplying drugs to Srinivasan and Ta's customers, and now faces a minimum of 10 years to life in prison. Scheduled for a September 24 trial, Adan Ruiz, 27, stands against charges of conspiracy and distribution of fentanyl, maintaining a plea of not guilty. Found delivering drugs to unsuspecting households disguised as legitimate mail, both Navia and Ruiz are currently in federal custody.
Falling into the scope of the FBI-led Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (JCODE), the investigation reflects a commitment to uncovering the veil of anonymity criminals believe the dark web provides. Since 2018, JCODE has seen over 300 drug traffickers arrested and large sums of narcotics and firearms confiscated. The collaborative effort included the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force, as well as significant contributions from numerous agencies, all with a shared goal of combating drug-related crime in communities across the United States.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gregg E. Marmaro of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section. Public Information Officer Ciaran McEvoy clarified further details, ensuring that the defendants received a punishment fitting the severity of their crimes.
