Silk Road Founder Sentenced to Life in Prison

Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of running the deep web black marketplace used to deal drugs. Ulbricht, who operated the site under the alias "Dread Pirate Roberts," was convicted in February of seven drug and conspiracy count charges for his role in creating Silk Road, including drug trafficking, computer hacking and money laundering. In a letter to U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest prior to sentencing, Ulbricht asked for leniency from the life sentence recommended by the Probation Department. He wrote, "Please leave a small light at the end of the tunnel, an excuse to stay healthy, an excuse to dream of better days ahead, and a chance to redeem myself in the free world before I meet my maker."