A former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, Ryan Wedding, entered a plea of not guilty in a U.S. court on Monday, facing serious charges related to a billion-dollar drug trafficking operation and multiple killings. Wedding, who represented Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, was arrested in Mexico last week and transported to Southern California, marking his first appearance in a U.S. court.
U.S. authorities indicate that Wedding had been evading law enforcement for over a decade while residing in Mexico. He was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in March 2023, with a $15 million reward offered for information leading to his arrest. Authorities allege that he was involved in the transportation of as much as 60 tons of cocaine across Colombia, Mexico, Canada, and Southern California, and that he operated under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful drug trafficking organizations.
According to a 2024 indictment in Canada, Wedding’s drug trafficking group was identified as the largest supplier of cocaine to the country. He faces separate drug charges in Canada dating back to 2015. Mexican officials reported that Wedding voluntarily presented himself at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City last week, culminating a year-long collaborative effort among authorities from the United States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic to secure his arrest.
Court Proceedings and Defense Statements
During his brief hearing at the federal court in Santa Ana, California, Wedding appeared in a tan jail jumpsuit, with his ankles restrained. He smiled briefly at the proceedings and engaged with his attorney, Anthony Colombo. When asked by U.S. Magistrate John D. Early whether he had read the indictments against him, Wedding confirmed, “I’ve read them both, yes.”
Colombo disputed the circumstances of Wedding’s arrest, asserting that his client had not surrendered but was instead apprehended. “He was arrested,” Colombo stated, choosing not to elaborate further. He noted that Wedding was in “good spirits,” but acknowledged the situation has been overwhelming for him.
Federal prosecutors declined to provide comments following the hearing. Wedding is scheduled to return to court on February 11, 2024, with a trial date set for March 24, 2024.
Allegations and Legal History
The charges against Wedding include running a criminal enterprise, murder, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, among others. Notably, he is accused of orchestrating the 2023 murders of two Canadian family members in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment and for directing a killing linked to a drug debt in 2024.
Additionally, he faces new allegations of planning the murder of a witness in Colombia to evade extradition to the United States. Wedding has a previous conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, resulting in a prison sentence in 2010. He was released from custody in 2011.
The 2024 indictment from Canada outlines that Wedding’s network sourced cocaine from Colombia and collaborated with Mexican cartels to transport drugs via boat and aircraft into Mexico, subsequently distributing them in the U.S. using semitrucks. The group reportedly stored cocaine in Southern California before distributing it to Canada and other states.
As tensions increase surrounding drug trafficking, Mexico has reportedly begun extraditing detained cartel members to the U.S. in response to escalating threats from U.S. authorities. The situation continues to unfold, with significant implications for international drug enforcement efforts.
