Authorities transferred a homicide suspect to North Carolina and flew an ex-Olympian accused of drug trafficking into California the same day.
CHARLOTTE, NC — In a rare double development, the FBI on Friday took custody of two people from its Ten Most Wanted list, returning Alejandro Rosales Castillo to North Carolina after his arrest in Mexico and landing former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding in California following his surrender to U.S. officials in Mexico City.
Officials said the back-to-back operations reflect months of coordinated work with Mexican partners and several U.S. field offices. Castillo, wanted in a 2016 killing in the Charlotte area, was captured last week in Pachuca, Hidalgo, and transferred to federal custody for return to Charlotte. Hours apart, agents escorted Wedding, 44, who is accused of running a sprawling cocaine pipeline and ordering violence to protect it. The FBI framed the day’s movements as a major step forward in two separate cases that have drawn national attention and international cooperation.
Castillo’s return followed a nearly decade-long search that began after Truc Quan “Sandy” Ly Le, 23, was found shot in Cabarrus County in August 2016. Investigators said Castillo left the United States for Mexico within days. He was placed on the Ten Most Wanted list in October 2017. Authorities in Mexico took him into custody on Jan. 16 in Pachuca. On Friday, he arrived in Charlotte under FBI escort for further proceedings. “This case has weighed on a family and a city for years,” FBI Director Kash Patel said, adding that the handover marked a “critical step” toward resolution. In a separate operation, Wedding was taken into custody after presenting himself at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, then flown to Ontario, Calif., where agents recorded his arrival and transfer.
Authorities allege Wedding led a multinational network that moved large quantities of cocaine through Mexico and the United States into Canada while laundering proceeds and using violence to maintain control. Investigators have linked the organization to multiple killings and say seizures tied to the case include drugs, cash, vehicles and other assets. The FBI said 36 defendants linked to the network have been arrested to date. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the arrest and transfer, saying Wedding “will face justice” in federal court. Patel said Friday’s dual movements underscored close coordination with Mexican federal agencies and the U.S. Embassy team. Specific investigative techniques were not disclosed. Officials did not identify additional suspects by name, and some aspects of the probe remain under seal.
Castillo’s case traces back to early August 2016, when Le disappeared after meeting him. Her car was later found in Phoenix. Le’s body was discovered in a wooded area two days later. Charlotte-Mecklenburg detectives and FBI agents followed leads across state lines and into Mexico, where tips placed Castillo in multiple cities over the years. The bureau raised the reward and renewed public appeals several times; he remained among the longest-running entries on the list. The Jan. 16 arrest followed recent coordination involving the FBI’s legal attaché office in Mexico City and vetted Mexican investigative teams. Until Friday’s return to Charlotte, Castillo had been held in Mexico City as cross-border paperwork moved ahead.
Friday’s timing drew attention because the two fugitives were moved almost in tandem, even though their arrests happened days apart. After Castillo’s capture last week, Patel traveled to Charlotte for a briefing on the return while also overseeing Wedding’s transfer to Southern California. Video released by authorities showed agents escorting Wedding off a plane at Ontario International Airport on Friday. In Charlotte, Patel said the bureau’s priority was to “bring people home to answer charges,” emphasizing that the investigations would now shift to courtrooms and grand juries. Officials declined to say whether further arrests were imminent in either case.
Wedding is expected to appear in federal court in California, where prosecutors say the case will begin with charges tied to cocaine trafficking and alleged related violence. Court filings outline seizures, financial records and communications that agents say map the scope of the operation. Prosecutors have not publicly detailed all counts and said additional indictments could follow. Castillo’s case returns to state and federal partners in North Carolina, where prosecutors previously obtained warrants in Le’s killing. Extradition-related filings handled in Mexico preceded Friday’s transfer; officials said the next steps include processing, detention determinations and scheduling.
Outside the Charlotte field office, a small group gathered as agents announced Castillo’s return. “We’ve waited nearly 10 years for this day,” a family representative said, thanking investigators in English and Spanish. In California, travelers at the airport paused as agents moved Wedding through a secure area to a waiting vehicle. “This was a team effort from start to finish,” Patel said. “Our partners in Mexico were essential.” Bondi, in a brief statement, said the arrests capped weeks of pressure on associates and logistics that narrowed options for both fugitives.
As of late Friday, both men were in U.S. custody. Wedding’s initial appearance is expected early next week in federal court in California. In Charlotte, authorities said an update on Castillo’s case could come after a detention hearing. Further briefings are expected once charging documents are unsealed and schedules are set.
Author note: Last updated January 24, 2026.