Pedro Vargas Medina faces multiple drug-related charges in San Francisco following his July 12 arrest in the Tenderloin area

San Francisco, California – Pedro Vargas Medina, 25-year-old Oakland resident, has been charged with several charges connected to the possession and sale of controlled substances in San Francisco’s Tenderloin area, in a major turn in the fight against narcotics trafficking. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins delivered the statement after Medina’s July 17, 2024 arraignment.

Medina, who entered not guilty plea, is accused  of  possession for sale of fentanyl and cocaine base. The District Attorney’s Office claims that these charges are a part of an overall effort to stop drug trafficking in the city. Jenkins said, thanking the San Francisco Police Department for their thorough investigation, “drug dealers should expect to be identified, arrested, and prosecuted in San Francisco.”

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Acting on a search warrant, San Francisco police arrested Medina from his Oakland apartment on July 12, following him via BART. Officers searched him when he arrived on Golden Gate Avenue and discovered 62.7 grams of fentanyl, 0.5 grams of cocaine base, and a digital scale.

At the time of his arrest, Medina was already on bond and had his own recognizance for other offenses, the District Attorney’s office stated. Moreover, he was subject to five pending no-bail warrants and a search condition, which underscores the seriousness of his alleged illegal acts.

The judge agreed to the District Attorney’s request to keep Medina without bail considering the possible endangerment to public safety. He is under custody now awaiting trial; a preliminary hearing is set on July 30, 2024.

Authorities underline that the investigation is still under way even while charges have been submitted. Anyone having more information should come forward, the San Francisco Police Department said. Tips can be sent by text message or anonymously to the SFPD Tip Line, so enabling community members to safely support the continuous investigation.