The 31st of May 2016 was much like any other day. Until the monotony was broken up by a visit from the FBI. Although not an everyday occurrence, it was not completely out of the ordinary for the FBI to contact local police as a courtesy to let them know that they were investigating a crime in their area.

Special Agent Asher Silkey informed Detective Sergeant McAlister that the FBI had intercepted a threat made on the internet involving a possible victim in Cottage Grove. Silkey asked if a local police officer could accompany him to notify the potential victim.

Threat reports are a common issue. They usually come via the internet or text messaging. But this one was a little different, it had come via something called the “dark web”.

It was a term that Randy McAlister had heard, but like most people didn’t really have much understanding of. He assigned one of his detectives, Terry Raymond, to accompany the FBI agent to visit a Mrs Amy Allwine at her home on 110th Street South, Cottage Grove.

Amy wasn’t home, but when she and her husband Stephen attended the station the next day, the story that the FBI told them was unbelievable…..