Adam Lawin Sentenced

Adam Brian Lawin, a 23-year-old from Waterloo, Iowa, has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute MDMA, also known as “ecstasy” or “Molly”.

Lawin pleaded guilty to the charges on February 10, 2014, and admitted to obtaining the MDMA through the highly encrypted drug trafficking marketplace website, Silk Road. He also admitted to using friends and acquaintances to receive the packages, paying them a nominal fee in either cash or a small amount of MDMA.

During a search of Lawin’s Waterloo residence on April 26, 2013, law enforcement seized over 1.3 kilograms of MDMA, as well as printed materials describing how to manufacture various drugs. Additionally, a draft of a book being authored by Lawin regarding the use of Bitcoin to purchase drugs through Silk Road was found.

Further searches of other locations on the same date resulted in the seizure of over 250 grams of MDMA destined for Lawin. The investigation and subsequent sentencing demonstrate the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the distribution of illicit substances through online marketplaces.

Lawin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade to 147 months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay a special assessment of $100 and forfeit $100,000 in drug proceeds. Following his prison term, Lawin will be required to serve a 5-year term of supervised release.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Securities Investigations, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force. Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl, with the case file number being No. CR13-2040-1-LRR.

Lawin is currently being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison to begin serving his sentence. The sentencing of Adam Lawin serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of engaging in drug trafficking activities, particularly when utilizing online marketplaces to facilitate such crimes.