A New York man has been sentenced to 54 months in federal prison for selling counterfeit Xanax on the dark web, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri. John Cruz, 31, of Rochester, N.Y., received his sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig in St. Louis.
“I hope you understand that you put people’s lives at risk,” Judge Fleissig told John Cruz.
Cruz pleaded guilty twice in U.S. District Court in St. Louis—on November 29, 2023 and July 1, 2024—to one count of conspiracy to misbrand, introduce misbranded drugs and sell counterfeit drugs. According to court records, he purchased counterfeit Xanax through darknet markets and resold it between October 2019 and May 2021. After his first guilty plea in 2023 and while out on bond, Cruz continued illegal activity by operating a darknet website where he sold four types of counterfeit or misbranded pills.
In court Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware said Cruz’ ongoing sale of these drugs showed “arrogance,” a “lack of remorse” and “deliberate anti-social behavior.”
Investigators confiscated $145,502 from an account held by Cruz in the cryptocurrency Monero; these funds represented proceeds from his illicit sales. Cruz agreed to forfeit this amount.
“Any medication purchased online should be considered suspicious,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “More often than not, those selling these drugs, including repeat offender John Cruz, are fully aware that the product their pushing is counterfeit and often laced with fentanyl. Cruz is a threat not only to our St. Louis communities, but to anyone who has a computer and access to the dark web. Let today’s sentencing serve as a reminder that prescription medications should only be filled by a licensed pharmacist, not bought online from unknown and unreliable sources.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate those utilizing the U.S. Mail for illicit activities, including the distribution of narcotics. Today’s sentencing reflects the diligent investigative work by Postal Inspectors, and our law enforcement partners,” said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça.
The investigation was conducted by several agencies: the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ware and Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.
