Alleged Bay Area Fentanyl Distributor Extradited From Honduras

OAKLAND - The government of Honduras extradited Javier Marin-Gonzales, a Honduran national, to the United States this week to appear on charges stemming from his alleged involvement in the distribution of fentanyl in the San Francisco Bay Area. The extradition marks the fifth extradition of an alleged drug distributor from Honduras to the Northern District of California this year.

On Aug. 2, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Marin-Gonzales, 25, at the time a resident of Oakland, in connection with the alleged distribution of fentanyl on three separate occasions. The investigation in this case led to charges against multiple East Bay-based defendants who allegedly traveled into the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco to engage in drug dealing.

According to court documents, at the time of the indictment, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) learned that Marin-Gonzales had traveled back to Honduras. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with Honduran authorities, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to secure the arrest and extradition of Marin-Gonzales. Marin-Gonzales arrived back in the United States on Oct. 23, 2024. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore today for arraignment on the indictment and further proceedings. A detention hearing for Marin-Gonzales is scheduled for Oct. 30, 2024.

"We appreciate our law enforcement partners' efforts, here and abroad, to bring to justice those who are charged with peddling deadly drugs in our communities," said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey.

"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. "By bringing Marin-Gonzales to face justice in the United States, we are sending a clear message: those who profit from the trafficking of deadly substances will be held accountable, no matter where they operate. The FBI remains committed to working with our domestic and international partners to disrupt drug networks that threaten the safety and well-being of our communities."

"We remain steadfast in our commitment to hold accountable drug traffickers operating in the Tenderloin," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris. "The extradition of Marin-Gonzales is another example of how strong global partnerships keep our communities safe."

The indictment charges Marin-Gonzales with the distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(vi).

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Defendant faces a maximum sentence of 40 years' imprisonment, a fine of $5,000,000, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only after considerations of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp, and DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Bisesto is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery and Andy Ding. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI SAFE Streets Task Force, DEA, and the Concord Police Department.