SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Holly Danielle Adams, 34, of Indio, California, has confessed to a deadly hustle: peddling fentanyl-laced pills and washing the profits through the murky world of cryptocurrency. Adams pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as conspiring to launder money, according to U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
Between 2020 and 2022, Adams and her partner in crime, Devlin Hosner, 35, built a digital drug empire on the dark web marketplaces ToRReZ and Dark0de. They weren’t selling candy. They were pushing counterfeit oxycodone pills pressed with fentanyl – a substance that’s turned countless users into overdose statistics. The pair raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit profits, then attempted to hide the money using a complex web of cryptocurrency mixers, digital wallets, and other online tools designed to obscure the trail.
This wasn’t a sophisticated operation, despite the tech. In September 2021, state law enforcement caught a glimpse behind the curtain, executing a search warrant at a residence shared by Adams and Hosner. Hosner tried to barricade officers, while Adams frantically attempted to destroy evidence, dissolving pills in a chemical solution. Both were arrested, released by state authorities, and – incredibly – resumed their dark web sales just months later, blissfully unaware they were now under the watchful eyes of federal agents.
The jig was finally up in March 2022. Federal agents raided a hotel room in Riverside County where Adams and Hosner were hiding out. The search yielded a significant haul: nearly a kilogram of fentanyl-pressed oxycodone pills and sixty grams of methamphetamine. Both were arrested on federal charges, finally facing consequences for their callous disregard for human life.
The case was cracked by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force – a multi-agency operation including the IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the DEA. NCIDE is dedicated to dismantling illegal activity on the dark web and related cryptocurrency schemes throughout the Eastern District of California and beyond. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is leading the prosecution.
Hosner remains detained while awaiting trial, and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Adams, however, is staring down a potential life sentence. She’s scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on September 24, 2024. She faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years behind bars, with a maximum penalty of life, and a potential fine of up to $1 million. The final sentence will be determined by the court, factoring in sentencing guidelines and other relevant considerations. This case serves as a stark reminder that the dark web isn’t a haven for criminals – it’s a hunting ground.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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