Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder, entered a plea of not guilty to 17 serious felony charges, including drug trafficking, witness tampering, and conspiracy to commit murder.
The 44-year-old was apprehended last week after evading law enforcement for over a decade. During his time as a fugitive, he was placed on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list for allegedly leading a drug cartel that smuggled large quantities of cocaine into Los Angeles, distributing it to Canada and throughout the United States.
In his initial court appearance since his arrest in Mexico, Wedding appeared composed, smiling at his attorney, the attending media, and FBI agents.
Wedding faces a variety of charges, including drug trafficking, money laundering, and witness tampering. Furthermore, he is accused of orchestrating the murder of a potential witness against him.
U.S. officials claim that the 44-year-old was residing in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa drug cartel.
According to the BBC, Wedding confirmed to Judge John Early that he had reviewed the indictments and understood his rights. His lawyer did not request bail immediately but indicated the possibility of doing so later.
Once a representative for Canada in the Winter Olympics, Wedding reportedly turned to crime years ago, becoming involved in a range of serious criminal activities.
As one of the FBI’s top targets, the agency last year offered a $15,000,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
The last verified sighting of the 44-year-old was allegedly two years ago, according to CBC News. However, authorities made critical advancements in locating Wedding in December when they conducted four raids on properties in Mexico.
These operations resulted in the seizure of 62 luxury motorcycles, two vehicles, methamphetamine, marijuana, artwork, ammunition, and various documents.
FBI Director Kash Patel previously described Wedding as a ‘modern-day iteration of Pablo Escobar.’ The agency stated that his aliases included ‘El Jefe,’ ‘Giant,’ ‘Public Enemy,’ ‘James Conrad King,’ and ‘Jesse King.’
Authorities allege that Wedding’s criminal empire expanded significantly after his release from a U.S. federal prison in 2011, where he had served time for cocaine distribution charges.
He is also suspected of ordering numerous murders internationally, including in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.
Initially scheduled to appear in Los Angeles court, his hearing was moved to Santa Ana in Orange County due to protests against federal immigration operations occurring outside the LA federal building.
Wedding’s next court appearance is scheduled in Los Angeles on February 9.