LOS ANGELES - A San Fernando Valley man and lady who allegedly used darknet marketplaces to sell lots of of hundreds of dollars’ price of fentanyl-laced pills and cocaine to buyers nationwide have been indicted by a federal grand jury, the Justice Department announced right this moment.

Brian McDonald, 22, of Van Nuys, whose aliases include "Malachai Johnson," "SouthSideOxy," and "JefeDeMichoacan," and Ciara Clutario, 22, of Burbank, have been charged in an eight-depend indictment returned Wednesday.

Both defendants are charged with one rely of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, 5 counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one depend of distribution of cocaine. McDonald is also charged with one depend of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

McDonald has been in federal custody since his arrest on this case on May 4, and his arraignment is scheduled for May 25 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Clutario is expected to make her initial appearance in the approaching weeks.

Based on the indictment, from at least April 2021 until May 2023, McDonald, Clutario and others conspired to promote fentanyl and cocaine by way of darknet marketplaces reminiscent of "White House Market," "ToRReZ" and "AlphaBay." McDonald, using aliases, created vendor profiles on these marketplaces to sell unlawful medication in change for cryptocurrency, the indictment alleges.

McDonald and Clutario allegedly monitored and maintained the darknet vendor profiles, together with by updating drug listings and shipment choices, monitoring drug orders obtained on-line, and offloading Monero cryptocurrency acquired as drug deal payments into cryptocurrency wallets that McDonald managed.

McDonald allegedly recruited and employed accomplices - including Clutario - to assist with packaging and delivery the narcotics that they bought on the darknet. McDonald directed Clutario and other co-conspirators on methods to bundle and ship the narcotics, and he assisted them in the packaging and shipping, the indictment alleges.

The indictment alleges that in May 2021 - one week after McDonald created a darknet vendor profile for the purpose of promoting unlawful drugs - he texted Clutario to tell her that their darknet drug gross sales have been "flourish[ing]." Later that month, McDonald allegedly texted a co-conspirator that he had simply sold 20,000 pills to customers.

In June 2021, McDonald allegedly texted an accomplice that he had 34 drug orders he had to fill. The following month, in textual content messages to Clutario about the conspiracy’s targets, McDonald stated, "i’m actually tryna make like 5 mil," based on the indictment.

The proceeds from the drug gross sales - after being converted from cryptocurrency into money - allegedly were stored by McDonald and Clutario at their respective residences. They shipped fentanyl and cocaine that had been bought for tons of of thousands of dollars, in keeping with the indictment.

McDonald also allegedly possessed firearms, particularly two gold-plated handguns - one without a serial quantity - to protect his drug trafficking enterprise and the proceeds of drug gross sales made on darknet marketplaces.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a criminal offense. All defendants are presumed innocent until confirmed responsible beyond an inexpensive doubt in a court of legislation.

In convicted of all fees, McDonald and Clutario would face necessary minimal sentences of 15 years and 10 years, respectively, in federal prison. Each defendant also would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.

The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating this matter as part of JCODE. The Justice Department established the FBI-led JCODE staff to lead and coordinate authorities efforts to detect, disrupt, and dismantle main criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and different illicit narcotics, along with figuring out and dismantling their provide chains.

Assistant United States Attorneys Declan T. Conroy and Ian V. Yanniello of the general Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

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