In a recent ruling, a federal judge dismissed the recommendations put forth by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California to impose no prison time for two street-level fentanyl dealers. The move was part of a new attempt to mitigate the fentanyl crisis in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. The judge found the proposed measures too permissive to effectively handle what was labeled as “Public Enemy Number One”.
U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey’s office had jointly proposed credit for time served and a three-year term of supervised release, which would include an order for the defendants; Jose Alfredo Lainez Banegas and Marlon Gustavo Valle-Acosta, to stay away from the Tenderloin district. Both are alleged fentanyl dealers who otherwise could have faced up to 20 years in prison.
Reacting to the recommendation, U.S. District Judge William Alsup expressed agreement with the Attorney General’s assertion that every level of the fentanyl chain of distribution must be combated. He described the idea of refusing to pursue prison time for ‘Fast Track’ fentanyl dealers as a significant misstep. The judge mentioned that while migrants warrant sympathy in other contexts, those engaged in selling fentanyl should face prison time like any other offender.