Government moves to seize North Bend property in dark web drug case

Federal authorities have filed for the forfeiture of a North Bend property, alleging it was purchased with proceeds from illegal drug sales.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington claims that Braiden Wilson and Chandler Bennett, the property’s owners, used earnings from dark web transactions involving controlled substances to fund the property purchase.

The forfeiture action, filed Thursday, is based on an investigation involving Wilson’s activities on a dark web marketplace.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began tracking the case earlier this year after ordering drugs from a vendor linked to Wilson, who allegedly operated through a postal facility in North Bend.

Authorities report that subsequent orders from the same vendor also led to the North Bend location.

According to the complaint, Wilson’s alleged dark web sales brought over $287,000 in cryptocurrency.

Evidence shows that Wilson deposited significant sums into his bank account before purchasing the property in Carnation, where the address is listed as 8801 West Snoqualmie Valley Road Northeast.

In May, King County deputies responded to a shooting near North Bend involving Wilson.

Following a search, investigators found controlled substances, firearms, and equipment for drug manufacturing.

Further searches uncovered fentanyl, methamphetamine, firearms, and destructive devices in both the motorhome associated with Wilson and Bennett and storage units they rented.

Wilson has since pleaded guilty to charges including possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and unlawful possession of a machinegun, among others.

Wilson and Bennett acknowledged in their plea agreements that the funds used to buy the property came from drug distribution proceeds and agreed not to contest the property’s forfeiture.

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