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Date: 11-05-2021

Case Style:

United States of America v. Joanna De Alba

Case Number: 1:19-cr-00563-DLI

Judge: Dora L. Irizarry

Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Kings County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office

Defendant's Attorney:


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Description: Brooklyn, NY - Criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged for distributing, and possessing with intent to distribute, illegal drugs over the “dark web.”

Joanna De Alba, age 40, from Tijuana, Mexico, was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

The internet contains online marketplaces for narcotics and other contraband on the “dark web,” a part of the internet located beyond the reach of traditional internet browsers and accessible only through networks designed to conceal user identities. The “Wall Street Market” was a global dark web marketplace that required its users to trade in digital currencies, primarily Bitcoin.

Between June 2018 and May 2019, De Alba advertised and sold illegal narcotics on the Wall Street Market. These narcotics included opioids—including fentanyl (concealed as oxycodone pills) and heroin—as well as other potent illegal drugs including oxycodone, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and other substances containing MDMA. De Alba took various measures to operate anonymously and conceal her identity, including using the online alias “RaptureReloaded,” using fake company names and shipping addresses, using the name of her deceased husband to receive packages from her suppliers and using credit cards in her deceased husband’s name to fund the tracking of her shipments. De Alba also directed customers to contact her through encrypted email and messaging services and pay her with cryptocurrency. De Alba offered free shipping to addresses in the United States and free tracking of all orders.

De Alba participated in over 600 transactions on the Wall Street Market in which she sold more than: 840 grams of heroin; 190 grams of methamphetamine; 1,250 pills of MDMA; and 280 pills of oxycodone. De Alba also sold more than 750 fake oxycodone pills—pills that actually contained fentanyl, but were concealed and disguised as oxycodone. De Alba received payment in the cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and Monero, and pocketed approximately 16.32 BTC and 400 XMR, which together are worth more than $1 million today.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy and Francisco J. Navarro are in charge of the prosecution.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to 96 months in custody; 5 years of Supervised Release with Special Conditions(See attached jgt.). $100 Special Assessment. No fine. Restitution not applicable. Recommendations to BOP: 1. Participation in RDAP; 2. Designation to a facility in/near San Diego, CA.

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