He broke the law, that's a fact, but I can't imagine someone getting a life sentence in any European country for creating a website. It's restricted only to most dangerous, hardened criminals. Even murderers get between 15 and 25 years in prison.
It was more, far more, than just a website.
And the chances are that if he'd been another nationality he would've wound up being extradited to the US anyway.
Anyone who runs a dark market now will get a few years. Anyone who was the first to do it would've been in bottomlessly deep shit no matter where they are.