Ismail J. Ramsey, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
Two individuals extradited from Honduras have been sentenced in San Francisco for drug trafficking offenses. Jorge Viera-Chirinos, 35, received a 40-month prison sentence on March 5, 2025, while Elmer Matute, 32, was sentenced to 36 months on March 12, 2025. Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer presided over both cases.
Jorge Viera-Chirinos faced charges after being arrested on July 29, 2019. A federal grand jury indicted him and thirteen others in August of that year for trafficking large amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine in San Francisco. Viera-Chirinos fled to Honduras while out on bond but was extradited back to the United States in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on October 16, 2024, to conspiracy charges related to distributing drugs from June 2018 until August 7, 2019.
Elmer Bonilla Matute was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2019 for possession with intent to distribute various drugs and later extradited from Honduras in February 2024. He admitted guilt on November 26, 2024. Law enforcement had seized significant quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine during a search at his residence in Richmond on June 5, 2018.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and DEA Special Agent Bob P. Beris announced the sentences as part of Operation Take Back America. This initiative aims to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime through coordinated efforts across law enforcement agencies.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs facilitated the extraditions with Honduran authorities' cooperation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sailaja M. Paidipaty and Dan M. Karmel led the prosecutions with support from Madeline Wachs following investigations by the DEA.
