The Federal government claims that Ross Ulbricht created and operated the web marketplace Silk Road, under the pseudonym Dread Pirate Roberts (DPR). He was arraigned in New York on four counts, to which he pleaded not guilty: narcotics trafficking; computer hacking; money laundering; and engaging in a criminal enterprise.

However, the actual allegations are for hosting a website not for breaking these laws. He is not alleged to have possessed or sold drugs; organized people in an illegal enterprise; hacked into a computer; or laundered legal tender. Please see http://freeross.org/counts-against-ulbricht-are-deeply-flawed/ for a fuller explanation of why the charges are unconstitutionally vague and misapplied.

Although initially charged with planning six murders, Ross was not indicted in New York for any. In November prosecutor Serrin Turner used the murder-for-hire allegations to argue against bail being granted, yet he did not indict Ulbricht for these allegations in February. In addition, no victim is named in the prosecution's complaint or the New York indictment, and the FBI affidavit states that there is no record of any actual homicide.  There is still an indictment in Maryland alleging one murder-for-hire crime. We are convinced it is false and predict that this remaining accusation of planned violence will go the way of the other five.

(Note: The murder-for-hire allegation is now an "uncharged crime" mentioned in the narcotics trafficking conspiracy section of the New York Indictment.  It is NOT a formal charge and requires no proof).

Carla Gericke

President of the Free State Project and organizer of Porcfest 2014

Webpage: Porcfest.Com