SAN FRANCISCO—On Friday, April 19, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office revealed that Cristal Cruz-Bangegas, 23, has been charged in connection to narcotics trafficking in the Tenderloin District. The defendant is charged with multiple counts of possession for sale of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine salt, cocaine base, oxycodone and alprazolam. The criminal complaint also alleges that Cruz-Bangegas possessed over one kilogram (more than two pounds) of fentanyl for sale (H&S 11370.4(a)).
According to court records, on April 16, the San Francisco Police Department witnessed Cruz-Bangegas in a parking lot near the main branch of the San Franco Public Library on the unit block of Larkin Street with a clear bag of suspected narcotics in front of her and a black bag. Police observed a group of four to five people standing near her. Authorities contacted her and seized over one kilogram of fentanyl from her as well as over 137 grams of heroin, over 137 grams of methamphetamine and other drugs as well as $1,812 in US currency from her.
The defendant was scheduled to be arraigned on Friday, April 19. The SF District Attorney’s Office will move to detain her pending trial because of the public safety risk she poses.
The SFPD is still investigating the case. Anyone with details is asked to call the SFPD Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. Tipsters may remain anonymous.
Six other individuals are scheduled to be arraigned on April 19, for suspected drug trafficking. Cruz-Bangegas and the other six suspected drug dealers are currently in custody.
As of April 13, the District Attorney’s Office was presented with 264 felony narcotics cases and filed 227. During this same time period, 76 felony narcotics cases were convicted, including one by jury trial, and 44 resolved via guilty pleas to other cases.
