Texas Business Executive Pleads Guilty To Illegally Selling Oxycodone On Silk Road

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Matthew Jones, a/k/a “Caligirl,” “Dynamite2k,” “Dynamite`,” “Tyler Zeddai,” “Mateo Jones” (44, Dallas, Texas) today pleaded guilty to the illegal distribution of controlled substances. Jones faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement and court documents, while Jones was working as the Chief Technology Officer for a software consulting company in Dallas, he operated as the vendor “Caligirl” on the Silk Road drug marketplace. Between April 10, 2013 and September 9, 2013, Caligirl’s Silk Road account completed 685 finalized sales of controlled substances. Between July 11, 2013 and March 20, 2014, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents purchased and seized more than 400 Oxycodone tablets and more than 900 Hydrocodone tablets from Jones. Jones shipped the controlled substances from Texas to Central Florida.

When Jones was arrested, travelling back to the United States from Colombia, he was in possession of approximately 8,500 Oxycodone pills. The pills were concealed in vitamin bottles in his luggage. Simultaneous with his arrest, a federal search warrant was executed at Jones’ Texas residence. At his residence, agents recovered approximately $75,000 in cash, and seized a variety of controlled substances, including but not limited to Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine, and hashish. A drug lab was also located in the residence. In addition to operating on Silk Road, Jones conducted his illicit drug trafficking business utilizing an encrypted and anonymized peer-to-peer program.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Orlando District Office, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service in Dallas, Texas. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haas.