The Bay Area's drug trafficking scene received a significant blow as two Honduran extradites have been handed down multi-year prison sentences in San Francisco. Jorge Viera-Chirinos, 35, has been sentenced to 40 months in federal prison as of Wednesday. Elmer Matute, 32, faces 36 months behind bars following his Wednesday sentencing, according to a Department of Justice announcement. Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer made the rulings.
Viera-Chirinos was initially arrested and charged with a criminal complaint on July 29, 2019, but fled to Honduras in September 2020, violating his bond terms. His journey as a fugitive came to an end when he was extradited to the United States in February 2024. Viera-Chirinos pled guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine on Oct. 16, 2024. According to the plea agreement, he was implicated in arranging housing for drug dealers and coordinating the supply of narcotics in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood.
On the other hand, Elmer Bonilla Matute faced indictment in December 2019 on possession charges with intent to distribute various drugs. After being arrested and extradited from Honduras in February 2024, Matute entered a guilty plea on Nov. 26, 2024. He was found in possession of significant quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine during a 2018 raid of his residence in Richmond. Matute admitted to his intent to distribute these substances, as claimed by the Department of Justice.
These cases are part of an ongoing Operation Take Back America initiative, which aims to aggressively combat illegal immigration and dismantle drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations. The Justice Department signifies these efforts through the integrated approach of its Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, which utilize an intelligence-driven, multi-agency network to target the upper echelons of criminal organizations. The extradition of Viera-Chirinos and Matute was secured through cooperation with Honduran authorities and the Justice Department's Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sailaja M. Paidipaty and Dan M. Karmel, along with Madeline Wachs' assistance, prosecuted the cases, resulting from thorough investigations by DEA.
