California man sentenced to over 26 years for dark web drug trafficking

Coverage from Bleeping Computer indicates that a California man has been sentenced to more than 26 years in federal prison for his involvement in trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine through Nemesis Market, a significant dark web marketplace.

Darren Hughes, 39, of San Jose, was convicted in November 2025 on drug trafficking charges. He operated a store on Nemesis Market, even offering free methamphetamine samples. Hughes sold methamphetamine and fentanyl pills to an undercover agent on five occasions in 2023, accepting cryptocurrency as payment. He was arrested on June 28, 2023, by the Redwood City Police Department after arranging another sale. During his arrest, approximately 672 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded 9mm ghost gun were found in his vehicle. U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros stated that law enforcement will prosecute drug traffickers regardless of their operating platform.

Nemesis Market, launched in 2021, was one of the largest illegal online markets before being taken down in March 2024 by German and American authorities. At its peak, it hosted over 150,000 user accounts and processed more than 400,000 orders, including significant quantities of opioids and stimulants.

Source: Bleeping Computer