Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison for his role in running the Silk Road, a massive drug dealing operation that operated on the Deep Web. Ulbricht was convicted earlier this year. The least he could have received for his crimes, which included narcotics conspiracy, was 20 years. Ulbricht is just 31 years old. Actuarial tables predict his life sentence will amount to his spending at least double the minimum in prison.
Drug dealing, especially coupled with Internet anonymity, can seem a victimless crime. But a critical element in Ulbricht’s sentencing was the testimony of parents whose children had been victims of the Silk Road trade.
Parents of #SilkRoad victims spoke before sentencing. Ulbricht broke down in tears as he apologized to them: “I never wanted that to happen”
— Kari Paul (@kari_paul) May 29, 2015
