Violent felon bailed by San Francisco judge after gun assault on women, went on to deal fentanyl, rob rival, get shot and abscond, court hears.
A violent felon who peddled fentanyl while on bail for punching, throttling and pointing a gun at women in San Francisco, and who subsequently cut off his ankle monitor and went on the lam after being shot while stealing narcotics from a criminal rival, pleaded guilty today to a drugs charge in U.S. District Court following the intervention of exasperated federal authorities.
Christian Carreto – who after the violent assault on the women was immediately released by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Marisa Chun – went on to commit other crimes including, three months later in February 2023, selling hundreds of fentanyl pills in San Jose.
At the time he secured bail in San Francisco, Carreto, 26, was still on probation following a 2019 conviction in Santa Cruz County for drug dealing, child cruelty and ammunition possession. In 2017 he was convicted for domestic violence, having punched and choked another woman.
It was Carreto’s arrest on September 28 2023 that triggered federal prosecutors to level the fentanyl dealing charges. That arrest came after he had stolen marijuana from an illegal indoor grow house which led to him being shot by the owner before he made his escape in a vehicle chase through Fremont which resulted in him being shot, after which he absconded.
His lengthy record of violence began with juvenile arrests for firearms possession and robbery.
U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman, sitting in San Jose federal courthouse, accepted Caretto’s guilty plea to one count of fentanyl distribution and set sentencing for April 16 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment. His many state matters remain outstanding.
Prosecutors say that on November 20 2022 Carreto punched his girlfriend in the face, and then choked her, in a jealous rage while they were at a city nightclub. Security guards initially separated the pair but Carreto followed the woman outside and shoved her to the ground. Punching another woman who attempted to intervene, he retrieved a loaded Smith and Wesson handgun “and pointed it at one of the women”. SFPD were summoned and captured Carreto as he attempted to flee.
San Francisco District Attorney’s office filed a complaint levelling eight felony and four misdemeanor charges against Carreto on November 22 and also filed a ‘motion to detain’ – asking the court to keep him in custody. Judge Marisa Chun denied that motion the next day and released the defendant with an ankle monitor – the same ankle monitor he would be wearing while dealing and stealing drugs and which he would then cut off in an effort to abscond.
Carreto pleaded guilty today to a charge of fentanyl distribution stemming from his sale of hundreds of fentanyl pills on two occassions in San Jose.
Seven months later, in September 2023, prosecutors say, Carreto was shot by the owner of an illegal indoor marijuana grow after he stole 240 pounds of fresh marijuana and attempted to drive away. After being discharged from hospital, and aware that police were closing in, he cut off his ankle monitor and unsuccessfully attempted to flee. After removing the monitor he then failed to turn up to a San Francisco court hearing on October 12 2023, leading to a bench warrant being issued.
In 2019 a search of his home turned up ecstasy, cocaine and 100 rounds of ammunition in a room where a 10 year old relative was left alone with the contraband. In 2017 he was convicted for domestic violence, having pulled his victim by the hair, thrown her to the ground, spat on her, punched her in the face and choked her – part of what prosecutors say is “a disturbing pattern of hurting women” which culminated in the 2023 attack on another woman he was dating.
U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman, sitting in San Jose federal courthouse, accepted Carreto’s guilty plea to one count of fentanyl distribution and ordered pre-sentence reports to be prepared.
Sentencing will take place on April 16 2024. While he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, his plea agreement contains a provision that prosecutors will recommend a ‘low end’ of whatever the guideline range is calculated as being. Because there is, as yet, no agreement on the defendant’s criminal history category this range was unable to be ascertained today.
He remains in custody.
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