>Defense lawyer Joshua Dratel urged the judge to stick to the minimum sentence, which was 20 years.
>"20 years is greater than what's necessary," said Dratel. "If in 20 years he's released, no one will say 'That was too short.' The intent and impact are no different than any other drug case."
>Then Ross himself spoke, breaking into tears as he told the judge he was a changed man. The prosecutors had said he was driven by greed and vanity—that wasn't true, he said.
>"I'm not a greedy or vain person by nature," he said. "I wasn't raised that way. I remember clearly why I started Silk Road.
>"I wanted to empower people to be able to make choices for themselves, and have privacy and anonymity. I'm not going to say that to justify anything that happened, because it doesn't. I just want to set the record straight. I'm not a self-centered or sociopathic person. I made some very serious mistakes.
>"I do love freedom. It's been devastating to lose it. If I had one more chance before I pass on, there would be little joys, like throwing a Frisbee to a dog in a park, or Thanksgiving dinner with my family, that would mean a lot to me.
>"My nieces and nephews, I would try to share the wisdom I've gained with them. Try to help them not make the same mistakes that I made. It's in me to want to have a positive impact.
>"My attempt at Silk Road ended in ruin. If I ever get a second chance... everything I do will only have positive effects on those around me."
>Mercy wasn't forthcoming. Forrest had read all the material Ulbricht and his lawyers provided. She spent more than 100 hours considering Ulbricht's case alone. She read his arguments on "harm reduction," and went above and beyond, even rattling off a list of journal articles she'd read.
>Ulbricht had no criminal history, and submitted nearly 100 letters in support of his character were "profoundly moving," the judge said.
>None of that would matter in the end. Forrest gave him life.
