Posted on 08/04/2020 9:01:22 AM PDT by RandFan
My son, Ross Ulbricht, is a first-time offender serving a double life sentence without parole, plus 40 years, for a website he made when he was 26 years old and passionate about free markets and privacy. Ross―an Eagle Scout, scientist and peaceful entrepreneur―had all non-violent charges at trial. He was never prosecuted for causing harm or bodily injury and no victim was named at trial.
This is a sentence that shocks the conscience.
There is a strong consensus that Ross’s case is a miscarriage of justice. Over 250 organizations, eminent individuals and leaders have voiced their support.
The website Silk Road was an e-commerce platform similar to eBay, where consenting users chose what to buy and sell as long as no third party was harmed (some listings were prohibited). Both legal and illegal items were sold, most commonly personal amounts of cannabis.
Ross is condemned to die in prison, not for selling drugs himself but for creating a website where others did. This is far harsher than the punishment for many murderers, pedophiles, rapists and other violent people. All the other defendants related to the case―including the actual drug sellers and the creator of Silk Road 2―received sentences from 17 months to 10 years.
Ross’s investigation, trial and sentencing were rife with abuse. This includes corrupt federal investigators (now in prison) who were hidden from the jury, as well as prosecutorial misconduct, constitutional violations and reliance on uncharged, false allegations at sentencing. Ross was smeared in the media through false and inaccurate reporting.
Ross was not treated fairly and his sentence is draconian. Justice was not served.
We, the undersigned, seek mercy for Ross Ulbricht. He told the court that starting Silk Road was a terrible mistake that he deeply regrets, that he never intended harm, and that he has learned the heavy price of breaking the law. Ross is not a danger to anyone. If released tomorrow, he would never come near breaking the law again.
Ross’s life history clearly shows he is a compassionate young man who is widely loved and has much to give. Over 100 who personally know him have written letters testifying to his excellent character and how much he has helped others. These include those in prison, where Ross has shown exemplary behavior, tutored, led classes and helped fellow prisoners.
Keeping Ross caged for life helps no one, will cost taxpayers about $2 million, and deprives society of an exceptionally kind, generous and creative person.
This is Ross's seventh year in prison. He clings to the hope of a second chance. He dreams of a future where he can be reunited with his loved ones, start a family, contribute to society, and inspire change as an advocate for criminal justice reform.
Mr. President, please commute Ross Ulbricht’s unjust sentence.
Stupid I know but I'm not sure if its worthy of a double life sentence!
What do you think should happen to him?
So he’s an offshoot of the CIA?...
NSA didn’t hire this guy?
Their loss.
Time served should be sufficient for a commutation. But I doubt Trump will act. He has not responded to the pleas of Patti Stockman in Beaumont, TX, whose husband, Steve Stockman, is a political prisoner given an unusually harsh sentence for campaign finance violations. Stockman has petitioned for release with all the other diabetic inmates. Still in the Beaumont federal prison, he now has contracted COVID-19. You would think Trump would at the least release him to home confinement.
If he’s involved in the drug trade, he’s destroying lives.
I’m not that sympathetic.
LOL!
Essentially yes but he was more brazen about it. The website was quite notorious for a while before they managed to find him.
I remember reading about in Wired Magazine (!).
It got a lot of attention so when they got hold of him they punished him harshly.
He was also making a lot of money several millions I believe. Maybe that has something to do with it as well.
He made hundreds of millions and paid a hit man to kill a rival.
While I believe his offenses are worthy of severe criminal punishment, I also believe that his sentence is draconian. He should be credited with time served, five year ban on any Internet presents excepting an email address, and lifetime ban on any administrative role on the Internet.
I had no idea about Stockman. I’m shocked to hear that ... He was a good congressman.
These harsh sentences for non-violent crimes are a real problem IMO
What he did was a bit more than just set up a web site to sell dime bags..
All sorts of illegal things ran through his site, he was well aware of it.
Whether he deserves the sentence he got or not, we can discuss, but no way is this guy just some guy who helped facilitates dime bag Mary Jane transactions.
There are always two sides to a story... I admit i’m not fully up to speed on the whole case ... seems a long time ago.
Yeah, well who hasn’t done that?
More.... https://freeross.org/
More here..... https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/rossulbricht/index
Thank you for the wiki link:
‘In February 2015, Ulbricht was convicted of money laundering, computer hacking, conspiracy to traffic fraudulent identity documents, and conspiracy to traffic narcotics by means of the internet.[7] In May 2015, he was sentenced to a double life sentence plus forty years without the possibility of parole. ‘
So to be clear he was never convicted of this ‘hitman’ allegation or anything violent.
Not worthy of that extreme sentence. Seems like over-kill.
It’s always someone else’s fault. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time. There are appeals, if any of this is true, it can be litigated.
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