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A U.S. judge has sentenced John Cruz, a 31-year-old Rochester resident, to 54 months in prison for selling fake Xanax on the darknet.
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Cruz pleaded guilty to allegations of promising four kinds of misbranded or fake pills while out on bond after his previous guilty plea.
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The prosecutors described Cruz’s actions as unremorseful and arrogant, as he continued to sell them, even during his bond.
A court has sentenced Rochester resident John Cruz to 54 months in jail for selling fake Xanax on the darknet. Cruz himself admitted to conducting these sales both before and after the authorities charged him.
On two different instances, he pleaded guilty to misbranding, introducing, and distributing counterfeit drugs. US Judge Audrey G. Fleissig charged him with selling these fake versions of Xanax to unsuspecting individuals on the dark web. Also, despite knowing the harmful effects of the misbranded drugs, Cruz still sold them between October 2019 and May 2021.
U.S. Judge Sentences John Cruz for Selling Fake Xanax Drugs
John Cruz admitted to running a website on the darknet, providing four kinds of misbranded or counterfeit medications while out on bond after his prior admittance in November 2023.
According to Judge Fleissig, Cruz’s nefarious deeds put the lives of his unsuspecting purchasers at risk, and he was aware of it. Cruz also admitted to operating a site on the dark web where he sold drugs during his guilty plea in 2023.
The 31-year-old Rochester resident also pleaded guilty to misbranding medications, introducing fake medicine, and selling these counterfeits to unsuspecting users on the dark web.
The defendant admitted that he bought huge quantities of fake Xanax, a drug used to suppress anxiety, on the dark market and resold it from October 2019 through May 2021.
Prosecutors Comment on Cruz’s Actions
The Special Agent in Charge of the DEA St. Louis commented on Cruz’s actions, noting that people should treat drug purchases made on the dark web as phony. He further said that most times, individuals selling these medications, including John Cruz, who is a repeat offender, are fully aware that they are selling fake drugs. He also pointed out that these criminals are fully aware they’re usually lacing the counterfeit drugs with fentanyl.
Davis added that Cruz isn’t only a threat to St. Louis communities, but to individuals with a computer and access to the dark net. This case is part of a global pattern of dark web drug trafficking, as seen in other major international stings like the takedown of a UK dealer with prosthetic hands brought down in a global dark web sting. Thus, this should warn everyone to obtain prescription drugs only from an authorized pharmacist and never from anonymous, unreliable sources on the internet.
John Ware, the Assistant United States Attorney, commented on the sentencing in court on Tuesday. He noted that the defendant’s continuous sale of the medications showed “arrogance,” deliberate “anti-social behavior”, and “a lack of remorse”.
IC of the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Chicago Unit, which comprises the St. Louis Domicile branch, Ruth Mendonça, noted the essence of postal inspectors during the investigation.
“The United States Postal Inspection Service is responsible for protecting the nation’s mail system from unlawful use. In collaboration with our national enforcement partners, Postal Officers thoroughly investigate the use of the United States Mail to further illegal drug trafficking, she continued. The DEA, FBI, U.S. ICE, and U.S. The Postal Inspection Service each played a significant role in the investigation of this case.”
