For Immediate Release
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Flagler Beach Man Sentenced To Nearly Eleven Years In Federal Prison For Selling Benzoyl Fentanyl And Other Drugs Online
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Robert Richard Jodoin (50, Flagler Beach) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for importing GHB into the United States, distributing benzoyl fentanyl, possessing with the intent to distribute N-Ethylhexedrone, maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing controlled substances, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The court also ordered Jodoin to forfeit the web domain PRIMALVISIONS.NET, which Jodoin had used to sell drugs. Jodoin had pleaded guilty on February 6, 2019.
According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating Jodoin. The investigating agencies discovered that multiple drug overdose victims around the country had purchased their drugs from Jodoin via his website. The investigation revealed that Jodoin was selling a wide array of controlled substances on his website, including fentanyl analogues. He routinely imported controlled substances from outside the United States, including, on one occasion, more than a kilogram of GHB. Information received from local law enforcement agencies revealed multiple overdose victims around the country had identified PRIMALVISIONS.NET as their drug source. One of the overdose victims told law enforcement that he had purchased fentanyl, methamphetamine, and ketamine from the website.
In May 2018, an undercover special agent with HSI purchased drugs from Jodoin.
Also in May 2018, during the time the undercover buy was being conducted, Jodoin posted an advertisement on PRIMALVISIONS.NET offering $1,300 to anyone who would beat up his girlfriend, and stated that she was “wanted dead or alive.” Jodoin also solicited the undercover agent via text message to “take out” his girlfriend.
Federal agents also learned that Jodoin was using the Flagler Beach Post Office to receive international drug shipments and to mail drug packages to his customers across the country. On May 26, 2018, a postal inspector was alerted that a package addressed to PRIMAL VISIONS had arrived from China. A border search of the parcel revealed that it contained more than 100 grams of N-Ethylhexedrone, a controlled substance analogue. On June 6, 2018, the package was scanned as available for pickup, and law enforcement observed as Jodoin traveled from his residence to the Flagler Beach Post Office. Upon arriving, Jodoin took possession of the package and was arrested as he exited the building.
Also on June 6, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jodoin’s residence and located a drug packaging table with a mortar and pestle for grinding drugs, a drug scale, large quantities of USPS packaging materials, and drug dosing spoons and pipes. Next to the drug packaging table was a .380 caliber pistol, which was loaded.
“This case highlights the wide range of criminal statutes our HSI special agents enforce,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “Our communities are safer with this criminal and his drugs off our streets.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida National Guard Counterdrug Program, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Flagler Beach Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
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