United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PHOENIX – Last week, Kevin Dean McCoy, 28, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and launder proceeds from drug distribution.  McCoy was the final defendant to receive their sentence following a federal DEA investigation into the dark web drug trafficking organization.  Previously, Silvester Ruelas, 50, of Peoria, received a sentence of 20 years in prison and two other co-defendants, Amber Worrell and Peggy Gomez, were sentenced to 10 years in prison and 5 years in prison, respectively.

Between 2015 and 2017, the defendants used the vendor name “Iceman21” to advertise and sell heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine on various dark web marketplaces, including AlphaBay, Hansa, and Dream Market. The investigation revealed that the defendants were using the United States Postal Service to ship drugs from the Phoenix metropolitan area to locations throughout the United States. During the investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service seized parcels containing illegal drugs destined for Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas. To conceal and launder proceeds they generated through drug distribution, the defendants used encrypted technology, sold cryptocurrency through peer-to-peer exchangers, and created bank accounts for non-existent businesses. During the investigation, law enforcement officials seized a Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl XL ring, numerous gold, silver, and platinum bars, and an extensive collection of firearms, including a Texas Weapons System AK-47, a Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun, and a .50 caliber Bohica sniper rifle. 

“Drug traffickers using the dark web feel a sense of security with the anonymity to sell their poisons throughout the world,” said Doug Coleman, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Arizona. “This investigation clearly demonstrates they aren’t safe, they aren’t anonymous, and they can’t evade justice. DEA and our partners will relentlessly pursue criminals who prey on our citizens, no matter where they are and no matter what means they use to distribute their illicit and deadly products.”

“Our office is committed to working closely with our agency partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute drug traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey. “Hiding behind computer keyboards and using our mail system to move their drugs will not shield them from lengthy prison sentences.”

The sentencing was delivered by Senior U.S. District Judge James A. Teilborg. The investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Scottsdale Task Force Group, Scottsdale Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.  Further support was provided by Mesa and Peoria Police Departments, as part of an operation supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 

The case was prosecuted by Matthew Binford and Carolina Escalante, Assistant United States Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.