San Francisco has witnessed another chapter close in the ongoing battle against the city's drug epidemic. Stuardo Cruz Cruz, 28, was found guilty of drug dealing in the Tenderloin neighborhood. According to a press release from the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, Cruz Cruz was convicted of possessing fentanyl and methamphetamine for sale or purchase, with the jury also affirming that he was on probation during his arrest.
Testifying officers during the trial described the December 17, 2024, incident, witnessing Cruz Cruz's exchange of narcotics for cash on the 700 block of O'Farrell Street. The officers, who later arrested Cruz Cruz after a brief chase, recovered 3.3 grams of fentanyl, 9.5 grams of methamphetamine, and 99 bags of prepackaged narcotics, along with $66.00 in U.S. currency. Assistant District Attorney Paul Samra led the successful prosecution, backed by a team of dedicated officers and staff from the San Francisco Police Department's Narcotics team and the Tenderloin Station. "This conviction underscores a commitment to rooting out those who endanger lives for profit via sale of fentanyl," Samra remarked, as per the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.
The reconviction of a man on probation already for similar charges, Cruz Cruz mocked the criminal justice system, adding insult to injury for the neighborhoods ravaged by the narcotic trade. The case was supported by the efforts of District Attorney Investigator Scott Wong and the involved paralegals, who all played significant roles. Until his sentencing on August 12, 2025, Cruz Cruz remains out of custody.
