Woman sentenced to 3 years probation for buying cocaine through dark web

SAIPAN — Chief Judge Ramona Manglona of the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands has sentenced Jeane Bracken, who pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, to three years of probation.

The chief judge also ordered the defendant to pay a special assessment fee of $100 and a fine in the amount of $3,000 to be paid no later than April 16.

At the hearing, Bracken was represented by attorney Richard Miller, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O'Malley appeared for the federal government.

A handwritten stipulation of facts submitted to the court by the defense counsel and the U.S. government stated that "Bracken ordered the cocaine at Mr. Robert Wallace's encouragement as she knew how to order things on the dark web as she had purchased psychedelic drugs for parties previously which Wallace had attended."

The agreement was that she would purchase the cocaine, he would reimburse her in part and they would share the cocaine with their friends.

Wallace and Bracken together purchased the cocaine "and neither had sole control over how it would be used. Their role was equal, neither was a leader, organizer or neither was a minimal participant," the stipulation added.

The court earlier sentenced Wallace to two years' probation. He was ordered to pay a special assessment fee of $100 and a fine of $2,000, at $200 a month, with the first payment due April 14.

Wallace was represented by attorney Joe McDoulett, who noted that the case involved a total amount of 3.468 grams of cocaine that Wallace and Bracken intended to share between themselves.

According to court documents, on Oct. 21, 2020, authorities came upon a "suspicious" parcel mailed to a private CNMI mailbox. The parcel contained cocaine and was ordered by Bracken, court documents stated.