Dream Drugs Vendor "CaliCartel" Imprisoned
~3 min read | Published on 2024-02-14, tagged Darkweb-Vendor, Sentenced using 564 words.
A Los Angeles man was sentenced to prison for leading a dark web drug trafficking operation that distributed large quantities of a variety of drugs.
Gabriel Alva, 32, and his accomplices distributed large quantities of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine via multiple vendor profiles on dark web marketplaces. Alva's vendor accounts included, "CaliCartel" and "RaiseAppeals" on the Dream marketplace; "Diablow" on Silk Road 3.1; and "GambinoCrimeFamily" on Nightmare.
Investigators with the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force made the first undercover purchase from CaliCartel on October 15, 2018. A USPS inspector established that the postal label used to mail the cocaine package had been purchased via Encidia. The Encidia account used to make the purchase belonged to Alva.
On December 14, 2018, the investigators made an undercover purchase of crystal meth from RaiseAppeals. After receiving the drug package, they established that its postage label had been paid for by Alva's Encidia account.
A review of Diablow on Silk Road 3.1 revealed that the vendor used the same profile as that of RaiseAppeals. The two vendors also used the same PGP key.
On January 10, 2019, the investigators purchased heroin from RaiseAppeals. On January 11, they set up surveillance against Alva. At Alva's residence, the investigators observed Alva and one of his accomplices, Catherine Stuckey, exit the residence with a bin. After loading the bin into Alva's vehicle, they drove to a local Post Office. At the Post Office, they dropped off 42 packages, took free shipping supplies, and returned to Alva’s residence.
The investigators found a drug package addressed to the address they had given to RaiseAppeals on the previous day. A USPS employee told the investigators that Alva and Stuckey dropped off packages at the post office almost every day.
After Dream announced it would cease operations, the investigators identified several vendor accounts linked to Alva. On Nightmare, the vendor account GambinoCrimeFamily was opened on March 30, 2019, and used the same PGP key as RaiseAppeals. The CaliCartel vendor account on Nightmare was opened on April 4, 2019, and used the same PGP key as that of CaliCartel on Dream.
The investigators continued to make undercover purchases from the vendor accounts, followed by surveillance of Alva and his accomplices.
A review of one of Alva's accounts at an undisclosed cryptocurrency exchange revealed that he had sold crypto worth more than $1.3 million between April 2018 and April 2019.
The investigators reviewed Alva's Gmail accounts and established that he had been sending himself photos of large quantities of drugs. The photos had been labeled with the vendor names, Diablow and RaiseAppeals.
The investigators also found out that Alva and Stuckey shared a task management APP. The duo shared a to-do list with tasks such as, "Have orders out by 3:00pm goal" and "Bitcoin guy @ 2 pm."
The agents executed search and arrest warrants at Alva’s residence in May 2019. The search resulted in the seizure of approximately 2 kilograms of heroin, over 2 kilograms of cocaine, and approximately 24 kilograms of methamphetamine. Six firearms and ammunition were also found and seized.
Alva pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense on June 6, 2023. One of his accomplices, Ian Hoffmann, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the same day.
Alva was sentenced to 10 years in prison on February 13, 2024.
Heroin Purchased from CaliCartel by the investigators
Gabriel Alva, 32, and his accomplices distributed large quantities of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine via multiple vendor profiles on dark web marketplaces. Alva's vendor accounts included, "CaliCartel" and "RaiseAppeals" on the Dream marketplace; "Diablow" on Silk Road 3.1; and "GambinoCrimeFamily" on Nightmare.
Investigators with the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force made the first undercover purchase from CaliCartel on October 15, 2018. A USPS inspector established that the postal label used to mail the cocaine package had been purchased via Encidia. The Encidia account used to make the purchase belonged to Alva.
On December 14, 2018, the investigators made an undercover purchase of crystal meth from RaiseAppeals. After receiving the drug package, they established that its postage label had been paid for by Alva's Encidia account.
A review of Diablow on Silk Road 3.1 revealed that the vendor used the same profile as that of RaiseAppeals. The two vendors also used the same PGP key.
On January 10, 2019, the investigators purchased heroin from RaiseAppeals. On January 11, they set up surveillance against Alva. At Alva's residence, the investigators observed Alva and one of his accomplices, Catherine Stuckey, exit the residence with a bin. After loading the bin into Alva's vehicle, they drove to a local Post Office. At the Post Office, they dropped off 42 packages, took free shipping supplies, and returned to Alva’s residence.
The investigators found a drug package addressed to the address they had given to RaiseAppeals on the previous day. A USPS employee told the investigators that Alva and Stuckey dropped off packages at the post office almost every day.
After Dream announced it would cease operations, the investigators identified several vendor accounts linked to Alva. On Nightmare, the vendor account GambinoCrimeFamily was opened on March 30, 2019, and used the same PGP key as RaiseAppeals. The CaliCartel vendor account on Nightmare was opened on April 4, 2019, and used the same PGP key as that of CaliCartel on Dream.
The investigators continued to make undercover purchases from the vendor accounts, followed by surveillance of Alva and his accomplices.
A review of one of Alva's accounts at an undisclosed cryptocurrency exchange revealed that he had sold crypto worth more than $1.3 million between April 2018 and April 2019.
The investigators reviewed Alva's Gmail accounts and established that he had been sending himself photos of large quantities of drugs. The photos had been labeled with the vendor names, Diablow and RaiseAppeals.
The investigators also found out that Alva and Stuckey shared a task management APP. The duo shared a to-do list with tasks such as, "Have orders out by 3:00pm goal" and "Bitcoin guy @ 2 pm."
The agents executed search and arrest warrants at Alva’s residence in May 2019. The search resulted in the seizure of approximately 2 kilograms of heroin, over 2 kilograms of cocaine, and approximately 24 kilograms of methamphetamine. Six firearms and ammunition were also found and seized.
Alva pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense on June 6, 2023. One of his accomplices, Ian Hoffmann, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the same day.
Alva was sentenced to 10 years in prison on February 13, 2024.
