Ryan Wedding pleads not guilty to federal drug cartel charges

Ex-Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, described by FBI Director Kash Patel as a modern-day “El Chapo,” pleaded not guilty to 17 felony charges related to operating a Mexican drug cartel. Arrested in Mexico City after a decade as a fugitive, Wedding appeared in a federal court in California and remains in custody without bond. He is accused of managing drug trafficking operations for the Sinaloa Cartel and ordering a bounty on a federal witness. His next court appearance is scheduled for February 11, with a jury trial set for March 24, although delays are expected due to the volume of evidence.