4 suspected San Francisco Tenderloin District drug dealers arraigned
SAN FRANCISCO – Four men suspected of drug dealing in San Francisco's Tenderloin District appeared in court Tuesday on multiple felony charges amid an ongoing crackdown on drug markets in the area.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins' office announced that 29-year-old Albert Hernandez of San Francisco, 35-year-old Edwar Romero-Arteaga of San Francisco, 30-year-old Christian Gamez-Medina of Oakland, and 21-year-old Eduar Jose Rodriguez Garcia were arraigned.
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All four were arrested in unrelated incidents by police in a three-block area bounded by Turk, Hyde, Fulton and Larkin streets, prosecutors said. Jail records show they were all booked into San Francisco County Jail earlier this month.
The suspects are facing various drug charges, including possession of fentanyl for sale. All four are also accused of committing felonies after being released on their own recognizance in other felony cases.
"Brazen drug dealers who continue to peddle death on our streets and hold neighborhoods like the Tenderloin hostage must be held accountable and face consequences for their actions," Jenkins said in a statement.
Prosecutors said all four pled not guilty to all charges at their arraignments, with their next court dates scheduled for January 4, 2024. The DA's office also moved to detain all four suspects pending trial, which the court granted.
The prosecutions come as San Francisco city officials are touting the results of a months-long crackdown on drug sales.
ALSO READ: SF Tenderloin community notices improvements, reduction in drug activity
Since May, California Highway Patrol officers and the California National Guard have partnered with police and sheriff's deputies targeting drug trafficking in the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods.
According to data released Tuesday, nearly 700 people were arrested for drug sales, and nearly 800 people were arrested for public drug use in the two neighborhoods since the campaign began. More than 300 pounds of narcotics were also seized, including nearly 180 pounds of fentanyl.
