Hobart Huson

Hobart Huson, also known as Strike, is the founder and site designer of online forum The Hive and author of several popular books such as "Total Synthesis I" and "II", and "Sources", in which he details methods of synthesizing a variety of amphetamines, obtaining equipment and chemicals, and avoiding prosecution for said activity. [cite news | url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20030930-9999_1m30ecstasy.html | title=Supplier in drug lab ring sentenced to 8 years | publisher=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date= September 30, 2003 | first= | last= | accessdate =2007-05-17] [cite news | url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20050529-9999-1mi29alba.html | title=Escondido operation churned out Ecstasy | publisher=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date= May 29, 2005 | first= | last= | accessdate =2007-05-17] From his books, it is clear that MDMA or Ecstasy was the drug he found to be most compelling: in his book "Total Synthesis II", he describes it as "the most benign drug [I have] ever encountered."

Huson posted on The Hive under the pseudonym Strike and was considered somewhat of an expert on the topic of underground drug synthesis but his true identity was revealed following a ten-month investigation by NBC show Dateline. A special episode of Dateline called "The "X" Files" was aired in 2001, after which he was arrested and imprisoned for various drug charges pertaining to the manufacture of MDMA.

Despite Huson's arrest, popularity for The Hive continued to grow until it went offline in 2004. At its peak, the Hive had thousands of participants from all over the world.

Additionally, Huson operated Science Alliance, a Texas-based company that sold chemicals. Since September 2003 Huson has been serving a eight-year term in Federal Correctional Institution, Bastrop in Bastrop County, Texas for drug related charges related to his business.cite news | url=http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&LastName=Huson&Middle=&FirstName=Hobart+&Race=W&Sex=M&Age=&x=27&y=16 | title=Locate a Federal Inmate: Hobart Huson | publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons |date= 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2007-05-17] [cite news | url=http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=74575&SecID=2 | title=Texan pleads guilty to shipping chemicals to California drug lab | publisher=Associated Press |date= June 13, 2003 | first= | last= | accessdate =2007-05-17] He was also charged for one count of sale of chemicals and equipment to produce dangerous drugs stemming from a multi-agency drug bust of G3 Custom Fabrications on June 22, 2000, in Flagstaff. [cite news | url=| title=Chemist sentenced for selling Ecstasy ingredients | publisher=Arizona Daily Sun |date= 02/12/2004 | first=Larry | last=Hendricks | accessdate =2008-07-17]

Books

*"Total Synthesis II." Panda Ink; 1 edition (August 1, 1998) ISBN 096582912X
*"Sources." Panda Ink; 1 edition (March 1, 1998) ISBN 0965829111

References

ee also

*The Hive

External links

* [http://www.mdma.net/usa/index.html Drug ring's downfall chronicled] — News article concerning the arrest of the MDMA manufacturing group from Escondido, of which Huson was a member.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/*/hive.lycaeum.org hive.lycaeum.org] - Huson's former website from Archive.org