JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two Jacksonville brothers are accused of distributing counterfeit oxycodone pills on the darknet — pills federal prosecutors say contained several dangerous synthetic opioids.
The allegations provide new details about a federal investigation that led to the Aug. 28 arrests of Vladislav Chernyshov, 35, and Stanislav Chernyshov, 30.
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Federal prosecutors charged the brothers with conspiracy to distribute nitazenes, synthetic opioids that can match or surpass fentanyl’s potency.
According to court documents, the brothers allegedly operated on the darknet under the moniker “BarbaraWhite” and distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing nitazenes.
The federal investigation began after a fatal overdose in Arlington, Virginia, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say Jacksonville brothers Vladislav and Stanislav Chernyshov were selling counterfeit oxycodone pills on the dark web under the name “Barbara White.” (WJXT)Darknet alias ‘BarbaraWhite’
The darknet is a part of the internet that is not accessible through standard search engines and typically requires specialized software to access. It can be used for anonymous transactions, including the sale of illegal drugs.
According to court documents, the brothers allegedly used the name “BarbaraWhite” to sell counterfeit oxycodone pills.
The pills were made to look like real prescription oxycodone, according to prosecutors.
The pills were marketed on the darknet as “fent free,” but laboratory testing found several nitazenes, including protonitazene, metonitazene, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene and N-pyrrolidino isotonitazene.
Federal prosecutors say the substances identified in the pills can be more potent than fentanyl.
The investigation began after a fatal overdose in Arlington, Virginia. Court records say the overdose occurred in August 2023. Federal authorities have not publicly identified the person who died.
FBI surveillance photo shows a man near the jewelry store on Sunbeam Road throwing trash into a dumpster. Investigators later found five-gallon zip-lock bags with blue powder residue and two blue pills with the marking of “M-30”. (Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)Trash bag search
In late May of this year, an FBI surveillance team saw a man put a trash bag in a dumpster behind the strip mall where a jewelry store was located.
Later that day, investigators opened the dumpster and found one black trash bag inside.
What they found inside was a key to the investigation.
They found a large amount of empty vacuum seal boxes and rolls, a large amount of rubber gloves, several hairnets, five-gallon zip-lock bags with blue powder residue, and two blue pills with the marking of “M-30”.
A field test indicated that the residue contained the chemical component N-Pyrrolidino Protonitazene, a synthetic drug.
Image showing what investigators found in the trash bag. (Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)Jewelry store, St. Johns County home raided
News4JAX was first on the scene at Victory Jewelers on Sunbeam Road, where FBI agents surrounded the business shortly after 6:30 a.m. Aug. 28.
Agents were seen with weapons drawn, and some wore protective gear. A window at the business was broken during the operation.
Cellphone video provided to News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee and photojournalist Jesse Hanson by a nearby business owner shows a person being taken from the building in handcuffs. The video also appears to show smoke or gas around the scene.
At the time, the FBI said only that it was conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity.
Agents also searched a home in St. Johns County that morning.
What the brothers face
The Chernyshov brothers are charged with conspiracy to distribute nitazenes.
If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of at least 20 years in prison, according to federal prosecutors.
A federal judge would determine any sentence after considering the federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The criminal complaint is an accusation. The brothers are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.