A Honduran national was clapped in irons for over six years yesterday for dealing deadly fentanyl and meth in San Francisco's Tenderloin district. Esmun Moyses Moral-Raudales, 28, faced the music in federal court after pleading guilty to hocking illicit drugs and packing a "ghost gun" during his criminal escapades, the U.S. Attorney's Office reported.
The dealer's rap sheet and his admission to peddling 103.8 grams of fentanyl and 95 grams of meth, not to mention the 317.7 grams of fentanyl found on him and in his car during a March 2023 bust, painted a stark picture of the drug crisis gripping city streets. Despite a prior 2020 conviction for similar crimes, Moral-Raudales was snagged again with a firearm to boot – making his case a cautionary tale for those who think crime pays.
Handing down the sentence, Judge James Donato didn't mince his words. "Recidivist drug dealers who prey on the Tenderloin are a clear and present danger to our community, especially those who arm themselves with guns," U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey said in a statement, slamming Moral-Raudales for failing to turn his life around after his earlier run-in with the law.
Not one for second chances, Moral-Raudales will also be under the feds' watchful eye for four years of supervised release after his time behind bars. In a stern warning to other would-be lawbreakers, DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark vowed relentless pursuit of those who "repeatedly, and brazenly violate the law."
The case, which was the culmination of an intensive investigation by the DEA and the San Francisco Police Department, highlights the explosive spread of fentanyl. This opioid killer is now the leading cause of overdose fatalities in the nation, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California.
