studied the case notes to see why the feds threw the book at him?

Which notes? The case notes written by the DEA agents who have since been sentenced for extortion and theft?

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-dea-agent-sentenced-extortion-money-laundering-and-obstruction-related-silk-road
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-silkroad/ex-agent-in-silk-road-probe-gets-more-prison-time-for-bitcoin-theft-idUSKBN1D804H

Or how about the case notes written by the prosectutor (who is now a crypto magnate), whose job assignment was not "prove the state's case" but to "take down bitcoin"?

https://www.realvision.com/shows/the-kyle-bass-interviews/videos/the-wild-west-of-crypto-outlaws-double-agents-and-the-dismantling-of-the-silk-road

https://news.bitcoin.com/the-silk-road-investigation-a-pattern-of-bad-behavior-and-double-agents/

Eat shit. That case was handled terribly -- corruption by the State was rife, and Ross should today be free.