sentencing
Why did Ross Ulbricht get a much higher sentence than Blake Benthall?
<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/w9V4f.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/w9V4f.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>They both created Silk Road.</p>

<p>Ross Ulbricht built Silk Road 1, and Blake built Silk Road 2.</p>

<p>Silk Road is a dark web app that allow people to buy drugs to US. The legality is complicated. I wonder if Ross is not an american citizen but say, a citizen where drug dealing is legal, then chance is he's not breaking any crime. The site it self is not in US and should not have been subject to US laws.</p>

<p>In any case they both got caught.</p>

<p>So why the difference in sentencing?</p>

<p>Note: I checked <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/14413/could-ross-ulbricht-from-silk-road-not-get-life-sentence">Could Ross Ulbricht from Silk Road not get life sentence?</a></p>

<p>That question totally do not answer this question. </p>

<p>I would give a bit of detail about the case that I know. Ross is convicted of the same crime with Blake. They did the exact same thing. I may be wrong here.</p>

<p>However, Ross is also "suspected" of hiring someone for murder. He is not "charged" with attempted murder. However, that "suspicion" is taken into account in his sentencing.</p>

<p>That, and many other possible factors, is what suspect may have played a part in Ross' sentencing.</p>

<p>However, I am not a legal expert. I wonder if any legal expert that are familiar with the case can shed some light.</p>

<p>The maximum sentences available will depend on the specific crimes each was convicted of, noting that every jurisdiction defines crimes differently and has different maximum sentences for the same or similar crimes.</p>

<p>The reason why the judge gave a particular sentence will be in the judgement - read them. If you still have questions post them.</p>

<p>I note that all of the things these people are said to have been convicted of are descriptions of activities, not actual crimes.</p>

<p>Here is <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/05/meet-the-major-silk-road-dope-dealer-who-only-got-10-years-in-prison/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">one answer</a>, comparing Jan Slomp with Ulbricht.</p>

<p>Slomp took a plea deal, cooperated with the authorities, and helped to build the case against Ulbricht. His sentence reflected this.</p>

<p>Meanwhile Ulbricht insisted on going to trial despite overwhelming evidence, challenged every aspect of the case against him, and tried to argue that he should be let off lightly because Silk Road was a "responsible" market. This led the judge to conclude that he had no remorse and should therefore suffer the maximum sentence in law.</p>
