A 25-year-old Honduran national who moved to Oakland and allegedly dealt some pretty large volumes of fentanyl fled back to Honduras when a federal grand jury indicted him last year, but he was arrested and extradited back this week to face trial.
In August of 2023, 25-year-old Honduran national Javier Marin-Gonzales was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. Marin-Gonzales, who lived in Oakland at the time, promptly fled back to Honduras, presumably to avoid the charges.
But the Chronicle reports that Marin-Gonzales was arrested in Honduras and extradited back to the Bay Area. The Department of Justice worked with Honduran officials, the FBI, and the DEA to arrest him this week. Marin-Gonzales was flown back in custody on Wednesday, and was arraigned Thursday in federal court.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to hold accountable drug traffickers operating in the Tenderloin,” DEA special agent in charge Bob P. Beris said in a DOJ press release. “The extradition of Marin-Gonzales is another example of how strong global partnerships keep our communities safe.”
This marks the fifth time in 2024 that a Honduran suspect has been extradited back to Northern California to face drug distribution charges. According to the Department of Justice, this particular investigation has led to “charges against multiple East Bay-based defendants who allegedly traveled into the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco to engage in drug dealing.”
Earlier this month, we learned of two Honduran nationals convicted of dealing drugs in the Tenderloin who both fled to Honduras to avoid incarceration, and both men were located and extradited back.
If convicted, Marin-Gonzales could face 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. His next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, October 30.
Image: Order of expulsion from the country for illegal entry. Illegal immigration problem (Getty Images)
