The man who was said to be the brains behind the now-defunct Silk Road operation is awaiting extradition to the United States for trial.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed charges against 54-year-old Roger Thomas Clark, who was arrested in Thailand on Dec. 3 through a joint operation of U.S law enforcement agents and local Thai police. Clark has been charged with narcotics trafficking and money laundering, crimes that could get him a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Federal authorities believe the Canadian, who also went by the name Variety Jones, has been a close confidante of Silk Road owner and operator Ross Ulbricht.

“Clark is alleged to have been a close confidante of Ulbricht’s who advised him on all aspects of Silk Road’s operations and helped him grow the site into an extensive criminal enterprise,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement.