Ryan Wedding drug ring: Fugitive LA gang member, cartel boss indicted
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ryan Wedding appears in court
Accused drug lord Ryan Wedding pleaded not guilty to 17 federal charges alleging he ran a narcotics trafficking organization and ordered the killing of a witness.
LOS ANGELES - Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have charged fugitive gang member Roberto Gomez and cartel boss Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado with helping former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding run a billion-dollar drug trafficking ring.
Operating from Mexico, the two men allegedly leaked law enforcement intelligence, moved massive drug shipments, and bribed officials to keep Wedding from being captured.
What we know:
Federal prosecutors unsealed a six-count indictment against 51-year-old Gomez, also known as "Rob Flores," Fat Boy," "Fats," and "Rooster," charging him with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to import controlled substances, three counts of accessory after the fact, and attempting to deal with a specially designated narcotics trafficker. According to officials, Gomez met directly with leadership from foreign terrorist organizations, specifically the Sinaloa Cartel and Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, to obtain law-enforcement sensitive details about arrests, drug seizures, warrant executions, and criminal charges to shield Weding's operations.
A companion two-count indictment was unsealed against Edgar Aaron Vazquez Alvarado, also known as "El General" and "Mini," a founder and boss of El Cártel Nuevo Imperio who was shot to death last week by Mexican police.
According to court records, Gomez is a U.S. citizen who originally fled Los Angeles County for Mexico after being charged with robbery in 2000, later receiving a separate federal indictment in 2018 for drug trafficking and money laundering.
Operating between 2016 and 2026 as an intermediate narcotics supplier, Gomez allegedly imported cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into Mexico via maritime vessels and aircraft before routing shipments overland to Canada and the U.S., while also attempting to broker a 1,000-pound methamphetamine deal with Wedding for approximately $550,000 in cryptocurrency.
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At the same time, Vazquez allegedly moved cocaine for Wedding's organization, issued near-daily rotating code words for drivers to clear Mexican military and police checkpoints, and paid Mexican public officials to destroy evidence, stall investigations, and dismiss pending charges.
Wedding, a 45-year-old Canadian national and former Olympic snowboarder designated as a specially designated narcotics trafficker, is separately charged with ordering several murders in connection with his enterprise.
What we don't know:
Federal authorities have not revealed Gomez's exact whereabouts inside Mexico or whether an active extradition request is currently being processed with Mexican authorities.
The public filings also do not identify the individuals inside Mexican and U.S. agencies who leaked law enforcement sensitive data concerning raids, search warrants, wiretaps, and criminal filings to Gomez and the cartels.
Timeline:
- 2000: Gomez fled Los Angeles County for Mexico after being charged in Los Angeles Superior Court with two counts of second-degree robbery.
- January 2018: A federal grand jury in Los Angeles indicted Gomez on narcotics trafficking and money laundering offenses
- 2016 – 2026: Gomez operated as a transnational narcotics supplier connecting cartel networks, including the Sinaloa Cartel and Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, to Wedding's operation.
- October 2024 – January 2026: Gomez and Vazquez coordinated efforts to help Wedding evade arrest by United States authorities while continuing high-volume drug distribution.
- Last week: Mexican police shot and killed Vazquez, preceding the unsealing of the federal indictments against both men in Los Angeles.
What's next:
If apprehended and convicted on all charges, Gomez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.