SAN DIEGO – In a major victory for law enforcement, alleged Sinaloa Cartel cell leader Brian Donaciano Olguin-Verdugo, aka Pitt, has been extradited from Colombia to face charges of cocaine trafficking in the United States.
Olguin-Verdugo, 41, of Culiacán, Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California in March 2021 for International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Conspiracy to Import Cocaine. He was apprehended by Colombian authorities in April 2022 while visiting Cali, and Colombia granted the United States’ extradition request in May 2025.
At a federal court hearing today, Olguin-Verdugo was arraigned and entered a not-guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 20, 2025, for a motion hearing/trial setting in front of U.S. District Court Judge Todd W. Robinson.
“Those who export dangerous drugs to the United States and seek to evade justice will find no place to hide,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “The Department of Justice appreciates the cooperation of the Colombian authorities in this matter. The work of the Homeland Security Task Forces ensures that the extradition of high-level cartel targets will remain a top priority nationally, but especially in the Southern District of California.”
The Southern District of California prosecution in this case is part of a multi-year investigation that has resulted in charges against over 125 people and has had a significant impact on the worldwide operations of the Sinaloa Cartel. This investigation has also offered one of the most comprehensive views to date of the inner workings of one of the world’s most prolific, violent and powerful drug cartels.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California, with significant assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, and the United States State Department. The U.S. Marshals Service assisted in bringing the defendant back to the United States.
Olguin-Verdugo faces charges of International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine for Purpose of Unlawful Importation, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963. The term of custody includes a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, with a $10 million fine. He also faces charges of Conspiracy to Import Cocaine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 952, 960 and 963, with the same sentence and fine.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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