Honduras Extradites Fifth Dealer for Allegedly Selling Fentanyl in San Francisco

San Francisco police officers look on near a billboard that warns against fentanyl in San Francisco on April 4, 2022. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Honduras extradited Javier Marin-Gonzales, a Honduran national, on Wednesday to the United States where he faces charges originating from his alleged involvement in the distribution of fentanyl in the San Francisco Bay Area.

It is the fifth extradition of an alleged drug dealer from Honduras to the Northern District of California this year alone, according to prosecutors.

A federal grand jury on Aug. 2, 2023, indicted Marin-Gonzales, 25, who was living in Oakland at the time.

He is alleged to have distributed fentanyl on three separate occasions. The indictment charges Marin-Gonzales with distributing at least 40 grams of fentanyl overall. He faces a maximum of 40 years in federal prison, including a $5 million fine, as well as a lifetime of supervised release.

The FBI determined Marin-Gonzales had traveled back to Honduras, court documents show.

The Justice Department’s (DOJ) Office of International Affairs collaborated with Honduran authorities, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration to arrest and extradite Marin-Gonzales, who arrived in the United States on Oct. 23.

He had an arraignment the following day on Oct. 24. and is due to appear back in court for a detention hearing on Oct. 30.

“This arrest and extradition marks a significant step in our ongoing fight against the distribution of dangerous drugs like fentanyl,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp.

Tripp said the extradition of Marin-Gonzales back to the United States makes it clear that “those who profit from the trafficking of deadly substances will be held accountable, no matter where they operate.”

Prosecutors also brought charges against other East Bay-based defendants who allegedly dealt drugs in the Tenderloin neighborhood as a result of the same investigation.

Other Alleged Drug Dealers Found in Honduras

Marin-Gonzales is not the first alleged Tenderloin drug dealer to be found in Honduras.

In May, Honduras extradited convicted felon Victor Viera-Chirinos to the United States.

“Victor Viera-Chirinos thought he could evade consequences for his criminal conduct by fleeing to Honduras prior to his sentencing,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey. “Let this case be instructive to people considering whether to distribute drugs in the Tenderloin District; the reach of the government is long and we are determined to assign the resources necessary to eradicate drug dealing from our neighborhoods and punish those who are found guilty of violating the drug trafficking laws.”

Mayer Benegas-Medina was indicted in December 2020 in a different conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl in the Tenderloin district.

Bengas-Medina was released on bond, and then fled to Honduras, which extradited him back to the United States, where he pleaded guilty to the charges against him.

Elmer Bonilla Matute was charged in December 2019 with four counts of possession with the intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base. Before being indicted, he fled before to Honduras, which extradited him back to the United States.

“In sum,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey, “drug dealing in the Tenderloin is simply a different proposition than it’s been in the past.”

Federal Focus on the Tenderloin

The DOJ announced in August 2019 a new federal initiative focused on the Tenderloin District. Called the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin, the initiative pools the resources of 15 federal law enforcement agencies to fight endemic drug trafficking, firearms offenses, robberies, and other crime.

In November 2023, another joint law enforcement initiative called All Hands on Deck was launched to address “endemic drug dealing in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco.”

In June 2024, the DOJ announced an update of the initiative, reporting the group had ramped up operations overnight to increase arrests, and had used targeted wiretaps throughout the Bay Area and fast-tracked federal cases to speed up prosecutions.

“Federal agents are now being deployed to hold drug dealers accountable regardless of the time of day. Our presence makes it clear there is no time to be safe from law enforcement in our neighborhoods,” said Special Agent in Charge Clark.

City Faces Lawsuit Over Tenderloin Conditions

Earlier this month, a federal judge denied a request to dismiss a lawsuit over drug use and crime in the Tenderloin District, determining the city was not immune under state law to claims it allowed the infamous neighborhood to become a nuisance. The lawsuit was brought by local residents and hotels.

Instead of monetary relief, the residents and businesses are asking officials to clear the streets of drug dealers, users, and tent encampments.

The Epoch Times reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for further comment, but did not immediately hear back before publication time.