A 26-year-old man from Fall River, Massachusetts was arrested and charged with three counts of distributing controlled substances and one count of transferring machine guns, all coordinated through the encrypted messaging app Telegram.
Benjamin Hunt allegedly used Telegram to advertise a variety of illegal items, including fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills, firearms, and machine gun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches,” which can convert a firearm into a fully automatic weapon. Hunt allegedly accepted payments in Bitcoin and utilized the U.S. mail system to ship these items across the country. The case serves as a warning that using encrypted services does not guarantee that defendants will be shielded from law enforcement investigation and prosecution. Federal agents and investigators are active on the dark web and messaging apps as part of operations designed to secure the prosecutions of individuals alleged to be involved in serious crimes.
Ghost guns, which were among the items Hunt sold, are privately manufactured firearms that lack serial numbers, making them difficult to trace. These weapons are often assembled by individuals rather than licensed manufacturers and can include parts produced using 3D printers, as was the case in Hunt’s operation. Law enforcement’s undercover purchases and subsequent search warrants uncovered significant quantities of drugs, firearms, and firearm accessories, including 3D printers used to manufacture ghost guns. The charges Hunt faces carry severe penalties. Drug distribution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, 3 years to lifetime supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of transfer of machineguns can result in a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
If you are being investigated by federal agents, for possession of illegal firearms or any other firearms offense or for illegal drug distribution on telegram or the dark web, then you need to act immediately to retain an experienced drug distribution defense attorney who can defend against federal drug charges or any other serious charges you may be facing. Please contact our award-winning Boston criminal defense firm to speak to a member of our team.
At Dhar Law, LLP, we have decades of experience defending serious gun charges and technical sophistication to lead the charge for your defense and can navigate new and existing laws to build a solid defense to get you the best results possible. Please contact us at 617-880-6155 to learn more.
