Former Olympic snowboarder and accused drug lord Ryan Wedding has pleaded not guilty in Santa Ana to federal charges alleging he ran a narcotics trafficking organization and ordered the killing of a witness.
The court appearance Monday had originally been set to take place in downtown Los Angeles but over the weekend was shifted to Orange County.
The 44-year-old Wedding – who was sixth on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List until his arrest late last week — is believed to have been hiding in Mexico for more than a decade, and has been wanted on cocaine trafficking and murder charges since 2024.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X on Friday that Wedding was taken into custody in Mexico City on Thursday night. He was flown to the Los Angeles area on Friday to face federal charges.
A $15 million reward had been offered for information leading to his capture and conviction.
“This is a huge day for a safer North America, and the world, and a message that those who break our laws and harm our citizens will be brought to justice,” Patel posted.
Los Angeles Magazine Senior Editor Michele McPhee joins LiveNOW’s Andy Mac to discuss the case.
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