Seven Georgia residents have been indicted for allegedly conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine across the United States through a dark web marketplace. The federal indictment charges Steven Ehizojie Oboite, Eric Xavier Bechet, Jabari Ayinde Cooper, Rashad Cortese Kinloch, Myron Ned Stodghill, Reginald Tyrone Douglas, and Joshua Jamal Charles with one count of conspiracy to distribute these substances. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Stodghill and Cooper were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle on June 18, while the other defendants had their hearings between May 22 and June 12. A federal grand jury returned the indictment on May 14, which was unsealed on May 19. All defendants are in federal custody except Cooper and Kinloch, who were released on bond.
Federal agents executed search warrants in the Atlanta area on May 19, seizing approximately five kilograms of fentanyl-based powder, one kilogram of cocaine, a pill press with die casts and molds, six firearms, several pounds of marijuana, around 200 pills, two cold cryptocurrency wallets, a Jeep Wrangler, and a Tesla Model S.
The indictment claims that Oboite and Bechet controlled a dark web vendor account named WallStreetBets. This account reportedly distributed large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Georgia to various locations in the United States since before March 2021. The “Previous Vendor Feedback” section on Darkode Market showed 2,777 sales with a 95% rating for WallStreetBets/WallStreetBet.
Packages from WallStreetBets were typically sent in padded envelopes with prepaid shipping labels bought using cryptocurrency. They often included candy along with drugs like oxycodone and Adderall. Oboite and Bechet allegedly obtained drugs from sources including Stodghill and directed co-conspirators to package and ship orders via the United States Postal Service.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office encourages anyone with information about this case or related overdoses to contact them at 770-216-3000.
The investigation is led by the FBI alongside the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), IRS, DEA, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Athens-Clarke County Police as part of an FBI-led Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) operation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach is prosecuting the case for the government. It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.
