Michael Luciano (58), and his son Phillip Luciano (29), going under the vendor name Zane61, have been accused of dealing fentanyl and oxycodone off the darknet on the Alphabay Market from New York City. Both are charged with conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute two controlled substances, each facing 5-40 years for the fentanyl charge, and up to 20 years for the oxycodone charge. From their Staten Island home, the Lucianos are accused of darknet drug peddling of opioids from Feb 2016 – July 2017. Investigators say the son was in charge of the technical aspects of their darknet vending through their Zane61 account which received excellent reviews.
“Great stealth, fast shipping, legit product
“Perfect 10/10.”
"A+ product,"
However federal investigators were already on to the Lucianos months earlier in March 2017, when they intercepted a package coming from China heading to Staten Island for “Mike Luciano” containing 64 grams of fentanyl and 37 grams of an "unknown powdered substance,". The next month, federal authorities looking into a South Carolina overdose found the Zane61 account making 7 purchases from Alphabay vendor PeterTheGreat. Then in June, Homeland Security Investigations actually purchased fentanyl from the Zane61 account using bitcoin as payment and had it shipped to the Bronx. Then in July authorities raided the Lucianos’ home and found fentanyl patches in a downstairs safe and a cellphone and iPad they believe the son Philip Luciano used to conduct the online operations. On these devices investigators found
“text messages referencing their joint drug-dealing operation, photographs of fentanyl patches and oxycodone pills, and websites associated with bitcoins.”
Investigators believe the son Philip, used bitcoin to buy drugs to send to their Staten Island address, then the dad would mail those drugs with a fake return address to customers who made orders through the son’s Zane61 vendor account.