11 Hit With Drug Trafficking Charges In San Francisco: Prosecutors

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Eleven people are facing drug trafficking charges, including multiple people who were arrested after selling drugs to undercover police officers in San Francisco, prosecutors said.

The charges were announced Thursday by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, which said the defendants were trafficking drugs in the city's Tenderloin neighborhood.

The defendants each pleaded not guilty to the charges, and several have been released on their own recognizance with orders to stay away from where they were arrested, prosecutors said.

One of the defendants, Kevin Sanchez, is accused of selling fentanyl to an undercover police officer just before midnight in the 600 block of Ellis Street on Sept. 24.

He and co-conspirator, Raylene Waddell, were later stopped and searched by police, authorities said. Sanchez still had the marked bills the undercover officer used to pay for the drugs in his possession. Officers, meanwhile, found Waddell in possession of over 100 grams of fentanyl, nearly 50 grams of methamphetamine, other drugs, a scale and packaging material, prosecutors said.

Although Sanchez was released with electronic monitoring after being arraigned, Waddell remains jailed in lieu of $30,000 bail, authorities said.

Another defendant, Joel Medina, was arrested the same night after selling drugs to an undercover officer, police said.

Officers later arrested him and seized nearly a pound of fentanyl, over 50 grams of meth and a scale, police said. He was taken into custody in connection with drug trafficking and remains jailed in lieu of $40,000 bail, prosecutors said.