The FBI has launched a brand new picture of Ryan James Marriage ceremony, the Canadian ex-Olympian allegedly behind a lethal worldwide drug ring.
The undated picture reveals Marriage ceremony his telephone at an undisclosed location. The previous Olympic snowboarder has been accused of ordering quite a few murders in Canada as the top of the alleged drug-trafficking community. Not one of the allegations have been confirmed in court docket.
Marriage ceremony is certainly one of 16 defendants listed in a U.S. indictment unsealed final month. At the moment, police launched a picture of Marriage ceremony, who appeared to have lengthy hair and a patchy beard. Within the up to date picture, Marriage ceremony is seen to have modified his look barely with noticeably shorter hair.
9 different Canadians are additionally accused of collaborating within the community that allegedly trafficked 1,800 kilograms of cocaine throughout Colombia, Mexico, the U.S., and Canada.
The 43-year-old is believed to be residing in Mexico and police have linked him to no less than three lethal shootings north of the border, together with the killing of a pair in Caledon, Ont. who investigators say have been harmless.
Ryan James Marriage ceremony is proven on this handout photograph. Marriage ceremony is needed in reference to a double murder in Ontario final yr. (FBI)
Marriage ceremony is the lead defendant within the indictment and wished on eight costs, together with three counts of homicide in reference to a unbroken felony enterprise. His alleged second in command, 34-year-old Canadian Andrew Clark, is in custody.
Past the indictment, Marriage ceremony faces separate “unresolved” drug trafficking costs in Canada that date again to 2015, based on the RCMP.
In keeping with an extradition court docket utility obtained by CTV Information Toronto final month, U.S. regulation enforcement officers knew the place Marriage ceremony was in January 2024, however didn’t arrest him. A press release of details included within the utility acknowledged {that a} cooperating witness met with Marriage ceremony and Clark someplace in Mexico Metropolis that month.
Operation Big Slalom: What to know in regards to the Canadians busted in drug ring led by former Olympian
The previous Olympic snowboarder competed for Canada on the 2002 Winter Video games in Salt Lake Metropolis. He completed twenty fourth within the parallel large slalom.
4 years later, Marriage ceremony was named, however by no means charged, in a Maple Ridge, BC, search warrant that was investigating an unlawful marijuana grow-op. In 2010, he was arrested, after which convicted, for attempting to purchase cocaine from a U.S. authorities agent and sentenced to 4 years in jail.
U.S. District Legal professional Martin Estrada mentioned final month that investigators imagine Marriage ceremony resumed drug trafficking after his launch from jail for his 2010 conviction and has been protected by the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico ever since.
The FBI is providing a US$50,000 reward for his arrest.
United States Legal professional Martin Estrada, proper at podium, joined by federal, native, and worldwide officers, broadcasts federal costs and arrests of alleged members of a transnational drug trafficking operation that routinely shipped a whole bunch of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, by means of Mexico and Southern California, to Canada and different areas in the USA, throughout a information convention on the FBI places of work in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (AP Photograph/Damian Dovarganes)
