Chicago resident Tommy Spaulding was sentenced to nine years in prison for selling heroin and cocaine through dark web stores AVALANCHE and ETHER_MART.

A Chicago man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation that sold heroin, cocaine, and other narcotics through dark web marketplaces.

Federal prosecutors announced on June 8, 2026, that 42-year-old Tommy Spaulding received the sentence after pleading guilty in July 2025 to conspiracy and drug trafficking offenses. U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the sentence on May 29, 2026, in federal court in Chicago.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Spaulding helped operate two dark web vendor stores known as AVALANCHE and ETHER_MART. Authorities said AVALANCHE offered heroin, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and MDMA, while ETHER_MART specialized in heroin sales. The marketplaces used distinct packaging methods to identify shipments and build customer trust.

Investigators said Spaulding managed the financial side of the operation, distributing money used to purchase narcotics and assisting with the day-to-day operation of the vendor accounts. Between 2018 and 2019, he was responsible for distributing more than seven kilograms of heroin and over one kilogram of cocaine, according to court records.

The case was part of a broader federal investigation that resulted in charges against multiple individuals connected to the trafficking network. Prosecutors said co-defendant Lauren Lucansky, who assisted with obtaining narcotics, processing orders, and shipping drugs to customers, was sentenced to seven years in prison in August 2025. Two other defendants, Nathanel Butterfield and Richard Martinez, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Authorities also linked the investigation to Michael Bentley, who operated a separate dark web vendor account known as ALLGOLDEVERYTHING. Bentley was sentenced in February 2026 to five and a half years in federal prison.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the DEA, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Chicago Police Department. Officials said the case demonstrates the continued focus of law enforcement on vendors who use dark web platforms to distribute illegal drugs throughout the United States.

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Dark Web Vendor AVALANCHE Sentenced to 9 Years