Samad Hamid Castro, 41, of New Jersey, was sentenced to 164 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in April to distributing a controlled substance. U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman imposed the sentence, according to the Irving Journal. Federal sentences do not include the possibility of parole, the WFAA reported.
How investigators described the operation
Authorities said Castro used dark-web marketplaces and the U.S. mail to send oxycodone to buyers in the Fort Worth area, elsewhere in North Texas, and across the country. A shipping account associated with the operation was linked to nearly 4,000 packages, according to the Irving Journal and WFAA.
Seizure and forfeiture
Investigators found more than 24,000 OxyContin pills in varying dosages at Castro's New Jersey residence, WFAA reported. Under his guilty plea, Castro agreed to forfeit more than $700,000 in cryptocurrency, over $10,000 in cash, and a 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Limited, which he acknowledged were proceeds from or derived from drug trafficking, according to the Irving Journal.
Investigating agencies
The case was investigated by the DEA's Fort Worth District Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Fort Worth Division, with assistance from personnel in New Jersey, according to the Irving Journal. The WFAA report also identified the Northern District of Texas federal prosecution.
