Glendale Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Darknet Drug Ring Involvement

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California Man Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison for Darknet Narcotics Trafficking

A 36-year-old California man has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison for his role in a large-scale darknet narcotics trafficking operation.

Davit Avalyan’s Sentence and Guilty Plea

Davit Avalyan, of Glendale, received a 57-month sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute narcotics. He is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in the case.

The Darknet Narcotics Trafficking Operation

Avalyan and his co-conspirators operated a network of darknet vendor accounts on multiple online marketplaces, selling cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, and ketamine to customers across the United States.

The group used various storefront names, including JoyInc, PlanetHollywood, and LaFarmacia, to distribute the illicit substances.

Operation Timeline and Scope

According to court documents, the operation ran from September 2018 to February 2025, during which time the group packaged and mailed parcels of narcotics from post offices and mailboxes throughout Los Angeles County and other locations.

The JoyInc account, in particular, is believed to have launched as early as 2018 and is considered one of the most prolific methamphetamine and cocaine distributors on the darknet.

Darknet Marketplaces and Payment Methods

The indictment reveals that the group’s accounts were active on several darknet marketplaces, including Dream Market, Wallstreet, Empire, and Silk Road 3.1, among others.

They sold narcotics in exchange for cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin and Monero, and shipped the substances throughout the United States via the US Postal Service.

Investigation and Law Enforcement Efforts

The investigation was led by the FBI’s Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team, with support from the US Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Los Angeles Police Department.

Co-Defendants’ Sentences

Avalyan’s co-defendants, Hayk Grigoryan, Gurgen Nersesyan, and Hrant Gevorgyan, have already received prison sentences of 10 years, 43 months, and 24 months, respectively.

The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to dismantle darknet narcotics trafficking operations and bring those involved to justice.