In a surprising encounter akin to a rare sighting, FBI agents in Mexico City had a moment of uncertainty when they spotted two individuals entering a Starbucks on January 22, 2024. Among them was a towering figure standing at six feet three inches, possibly the elusive target they had been pursuing.
To confirm their suspicions, the investigators referenced a 2013 Quebec driver’s license photo of the individual in question. Despite the changes in appearance over the years, any doubts dissipated when the man was heard using his real first name, “Ryan.”
This marked a significant development in the hunt for Ryan James Wedding, a Canadian suspected of orchestrating a violent cocaine smuggling network spanning across North and South America. The incident at the coffee shop, detailed by U.S. prosecutors in court filings outlining the case against Wedding, stands as the sole confirmed sighting of him since he evaded criminal charges in 2015.
The question arises as to why Wedding was not apprehended on the spot. Retired FBI special agent Kenneth Gray explains that the jurisdictional complexities would require Mexican authorities to execute any arrest in Mexico. Cooperation and timing between agencies play a crucial role in such operations.
Wedding, originally sought by the RCMP in 2015 for his involvement in a large-scale cocaine smuggling conspiracy, had reemerged in Mexico by 2024 under various aliases, overseeing an extensive drug trafficking network associated with numerous homicides and substantial profits.
Collaborating with multiple agencies, including the RCMP, DEA, and LAPD, the FBI had been meticulously building its case against Wedding, anticipating his eventual capture and trial in Los Angeles. The encounter at Starbucks represented just one facet of the comprehensive investigation.
The meeting, orchestrated by Jonathan Acebedo-Garcia, a former associate turned informant, shed light on Wedding’s criminal activities. Acebedo-Garcia’s cooperation with law enforcement provided crucial insights into Wedding’s operations, leading to the arrest of his alleged second-in-command, Andrew Clark.
Clark’s arrest in October 2024 in Guadalajara marked a significant breakthrough in dismantling the drug smuggling network associated with Wedding. Despite multiple arrests and indictments related to the Wedding Criminal Enterprise, Wedding himself remains at large, prompting intensified efforts by law enforcement to bring him to justice.
In a tragic turn of events, Acebedo-Garcia met a fatal end in 2025, allegedly targeted by Wedding. The pursuit of Wedding, now one of the FBI’s most-wanted fugitives, continues unabated, with authorities vowing to apprehend him and hold him accountable for his alleged crimes.
