PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A 22-year-old man made more than $1 million in drug sales using the darknet, according to state and federal law enforcement.
Multnomah County Parole and Probation officers arrested Skylaar D. Ford June 9 on the 6100 block of N Fremont Street in Portland.
When authorities searched the residence, they reportedly discovered more than 100 grams of heroin and MDMA.
Officials also found a package addressed to “Skylar Ford & Orbit.” The package came from Alaska and had Ford’s mother’s name listed as the sender. Originally, Ford told parole and probation officers the package was a gift for him and his girlfriend. He later said the package was a gift for his dog and that he was waiting until July 4 to open it. However, when a K-9 unit from the Portland Police Bureau’s Drugs and Vice Division arrived at the scene, Ford reportedly said, “You can open it. It’s Molly.”
According to law enforcement, the package contained 2 bricks wrapped in carbon paper and sealed with food saver packaging. The total weight of the package and its contents was 500 grams. The contents tested positive to be MDMA, which is also known as ecstasy, according to the DEA.
Ford is charged with 1 count of intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams of MDMA. According to law enforcement, “500 grams of MDMA is well beyond a typical user amount.”
In September 2016, parole and probation officers found 10 pounds of marijuana in Ford’s possession. A special agent assigned to the Homeland Security Investigations, a federal law enforcement agency, responded because of his familiarity with narcotic sales using the darknet and bitcoins.
Ford later admitted he was a darknet vendor of marijuana, butane hash oil and other pot extract products, according to law enforcement. Ford went on to add he would ship the narcotics throughout the United States and United Kingdom using the U.S. Postal Service.
When law enforcement contacted Ford in September 2016, they were able to obtain his “AlphaBay”, an online darknet marketplace, vendor account.
During an 11-month period, federal officials determined Ford’s AlphaBay account had conducted 1,684 sales and grossed more than $1 million.
When authorities spoke with Ford on June 9, he told them he was once again selling on the darknet, and this time he was selling MDMA. He allegedly told officials he ordered the MDMA from the Netherlands and it was shipped to a friend in Alaska who then repackaged it and sent it to him in Portland.
Using Ford’s AlphaBay account information, federal agents were able to determine that since November 2016, he had made 531 sales of MDMA using the darknet.
Ford is currently at the Multnomah County Inverness Jail.