LA gang member, who helped Olympian turned into billion-dollar drug trafficker, charged in federal indictment

A 38th Street gang member, who fled Los Angeles and helped former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding run a billion-dollar drug-trafficking operation, has been charged in a six-count federal indictment, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.

Roberto Gomez, 51, also known as "Rob Flores," "Fat Boy," "Fats" and "Rooster," helped Wedding obtain sensitive law enforcement information to avoid detection by U.S. authorities.

Gomez was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to import controlled substances, three counts of accessory after the fact, and one count of attempting to transact and deal with a specially designated narcotics trafficker.

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Ryan Wedding, wanted by the FBI, was seen taking a practice run for the men's parallel giant slalom of the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Park City, Feb. 13, 2002. (FBI | REUTERS/Jeff J Mitchell)

Gomez, a U.S. citizen, fled Los Angeles County to Mexico after being charged in Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2000 with two counts of second-degree robbery. In 2018, a federal grand jury in Los Angeles indicted Gomez on drug-trafficking and money laundering charges, and he is considered a fugitive in both cases.

While in Mexico, Gomez was in communication with leaders of foreign terrorist organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel and Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) , according to the indictment. He cultivated relationships with individuals who had access to sensitive law enforcement information from Mexican and U.S. agencies.

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Ryan Wedding of Canada takes a practice run for the men's parallel giant slalom of the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Park City on Feb. 13, 2002. (REUTERS/Jeff J Mitchell)

Gomez obtained information about law enforcement operations, including arrests, drug seizures, the execution of warrants and the filing of criminal charges, and provided it to his co-conspirators, including Wedding.

Wedding, a former Canadian Olympian , turned to drug trafficking and is charged with ordering several murders. In March 2025, Wedding was placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list . He surrendered to authorities in January 2026 after reportedly facing mounting pressure from U.S. authorities.

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Former Olympian Ryan Wedding is escorted after being captured for alleged drug trafficking. (Courtesy of the FBI)

Wedding competed in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and finished 24th in the men’s parallel giant slalom. He is accused of trafficking an estimated $1 billion worth of cocaine.

Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.