North Texas man convicted of peddling fentanyl on the dark web and possessing child porn

A darknet fentanyl dealer from North Texas is facing up to 80 years in federal prison after being found guilty Wednesday of multiple drug crimes and possession of child porn.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of Texas said Thursday that a jury convicted 55-year-old Sean Shaughnessy of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance analogue, distribution of controlled substances, and possession of child pornography following a four-day trial that ended after five hours of deliberation.

Sentencing has been scheduled for Nov. 17 at 9 a.m.

“Drug traffickers who think operating on the darknet will shield them from prosecution should think again,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “We will scour the darkest recesses of the internet to find those dealing fentanyl, a drug that shatters lives and wrecks futures.”

According to prosecutors, Shaughnessy sold fentanyl, carfentanil (a frequently abused elephant tranquilizer), pentedrone, and fentanyl and pentedrone analogues over the dark web. Shaughnessy then shipped the drugs to his customers after they paid using cryptocurrencies.

Shaughnessy’s former customers testified at his trial, stating the drugs he sold them arrived at their homes very quickly and were of high potency. Prosecutors said at least one person, identified only as a young man in his 20s, died of an overdose just days after purchasing drugs from Shaughnessy.

According to the DOJ, in his 2016 arrest video, officers noticed a bag of drugs that Shaughnessy tried to kick out of officers’ view after the bag fell out of his pocket. Though the bag was clearly visible in plain sight on the officers’ body camera footage. The defendant stated, “That ain’t mine” with noticeable white powder around his nose.

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