A Warren man has been hit with an indictment after a federal grand jury found that the man contravened drug laws after law enforcement discovered that the man purchased meth via the darknet.
Bradley McCaslin, the 30-year-old suspect, is reported to have tried possessing more than fifty grams of substance with the intention of distributing the drug for sale. A court indictment intimated that the fifty grams of substance accounted for an unknown mixture containing a detectable amount of meth.
Investigators to the case found out that McCaslin had purchased the banned substance from the dark web, with plans to sell it.
According to the law, if convicted, the man’s faces the maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both.
Suspect Arrested in 2019
In 2019, McCaslin and another Warren man, were apprehended in response to a federal warrant that was issued against them – after investigators discovered that the pair was in possession of a significant amount of meth.
McCaslin faced a number of charges based on the circumstances in which he was arrested, including a DUI charge, the violation of hazard regulations and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
The man’s accomplice, 30-year-old Thomas Valentine, faced two counts – the possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute a controlled substance and using a communications facility for criminal purposes.
The two men had been held in custody at the Warren County jail after the pair failed to post bail, which was $20,000 for Valentine and $25,000 for McCaslin. According to evidence presented in court, the arrests were made for offenses that were committed in Mid-2019.
Drugs Purchased via Dark Web
Authorities said that Valentine fell into a law enforcement trap in October 2019, he unknowingly spoke to a confidential informant.
Investigations uncovered Valentine’s move to buy 14 grams of meth at $185. According to the police, the confidential informant in the case was served the $185 to send to Valentine in order to complete purchase of the drug via dark web.
It is reported that the suspect received the consignment by November and the informant was sent to his home for the sale. The informant is said to have met law enforcement agents who confirmed the purchased evidence that was placed in a clear packaging.
The same arrangement was made in November 27 when an informant received $275 from agents to enable another dark web purchase with Valentine. It turns out that the transaction led to the purchase of 24 grams of meth.
Laying the Trap
When McCaslin’s car was watched by the police on Yankee Bush Road in the wee hours of a July morning, the vehicle was found to lack headlights, taillights, hazard lights – with an operator who was fast asleep.
The police discovered the suspect who was in a rather unfit state to be driving. The man looked lethargic and in a muddled state of mind – he even had difficulty locating the car’s door handle.
Police alleged that McCaslin failed a series of sobriety tests and, on checking the vehicle, agents discovered a pill bottle, and 3.5 grams of a substance that appeared like meth in a plastic bag.
The officers also found 1,055 pills stamped Xanax that were held in a bottle, including another 431 pills of Xanax stored in a zip-loc bag.
On questioning, it is reported that McCaslin admitted to the authorities that he had consumed “two Xanax”. He also informed police that he had a habit of consuming meth on a daily basis.
Consequently, a comprehensive search was conducted on the suspect’s car – which revealed the 23 grams of meth and other drug-related paraphernalia.
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