All drug dealers arrested in one-day blitz involving SFPD, Sheriff, National Guard + Feds now back on the streets – including the one armed with a loaded 9mm pistol

August 16, 2024

All of the alleged drug dealers arrested in a single-day operation involving five separate SFPD units plus the Drug Enforcement Administration, Army National Guard and San Francisco Sheriff’s Office have been released – including a felon who sold fentanyl to an undercover officer while armed with a 9mm pistol.

The eight suspects, carrying more than half a kilo of narcotics between them, were detained on July 30 2024. Most were almost immediately released while others were freed at subsequent hearings at San Francisco Superior Court in the following two weeks. The last arrestee was freed this morning.

The arrests were ballyhooed in an SFPD press release which said that the operation was coordinated by Mayor London Breed’s Drug Market Agency Coordination Center. It was, read the release, part of its drive “to prioritize efforts to address the drug crisis in our city by taking wanted suspects off our streets and holding individuals who sell illegal narcotics accountable.”

In a marked departure from law enforcement best practice, SFPD press releases do not identify the individuals arrested and communications staff refused to promptly respond to a request to provide them. As such it was not possible to attend the initial hearings of most of the accused and the outcomes had to be pieced together from records.

Miguel Ramos sold fentanyl to an undercover SFPD officer outside San Francisco Public Library on Larkin Street in the morning of July 30. When arrested he was found with a loaded 9mm gun, more than 100g of fentanyl, plus smaller quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.

Ramos, who is a convicted felon, was ordered released on an ankle monitor by Judge Gail Dekreon on August 15 and he was released this morning as a result of that order.

Angel Casto-Estrada was arrested with drugs including 190g of methamphetamine and 180g of fentanyl after being caught selling fentanyl to an undercover SFPD officer in the early hours of July 30 at the corner of Market Street and Van Ness Avenue.

Judge Kenneth Wine released him on an ankle monitor on August 1 notwithstanding a motion to detain filed by prosecutors.

Luis Flores was arrested at 3:55am on July 30 after having sold methamphetamine to an undercover officer. He was in possession of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. Prosecutors asked the court to keep him in custody, saying “[he] has two prior sales of narcotics cases in San Francisco.”

Judge Kenneth Wine released him on his own recognizance on August 5.

Markos Alvarado and Rafael Aguilar, were arrested on O’Farrell Street the morning of July 30 and charged with drug dealing and conspiracy. They were released on August 1 on electronic monitoring.

Mauricio Segura-Ojeda, charged with dealing methamphetamine on Eddy Street, was immediately released on his own recognizance.

Dante Robinson was immediately released on his own recognizance after his arrest in SOMA.

Jamil Alhalemi has pleaded guilty to drug dealing after his arrest at the intersection of Market Street and Van Ness Avenue. He is presently out of custody ahead of sentencing.

Local officials’ inability to deal with rampant drug trafficking in San Francisco – not least because of their unwillingness to see illegal alien criminals deported – has seen federal prosecutors step in over the last year in an effort to restore order. The U.S. Attorney’s “fast track” deportation program has achieved modest success in removing some illegal immigrants guilty of drug dealing in the city, albeit at staggering cost.