A former Olympic snowboarder who is wanted in the United states for murder and drug trafficking was once named in a Ridge Meadows RCMP search warrant.
In 2006 Ryan James Wedding was investigated for allegedly growing large amounts of illicit cannabis, but was never charged, that according to his biography on olympics.com, a website that provides the names, results, and biographies of all athletes who took part in the Olympics.
Wedding competed for Team Canada in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games and came 24th in the parallel giant slalom in snowboarding.
However, since then his life has taken quite a different path.
In May, 2010, he was convicted of attempting to buy cocaine from a US government agent in 2008, and was sentenced to four years in prison, the site also stated.
Now the Canadian is wanted by the FBI after he was charged with: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; conspiracy to export cocaine; continuing criminal enterprise; murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and drug crime; and attempt to commit murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and drug crime.
The policing agency said Wedding, born in 1981, goes by the aliases James Conrad King, or Jesse King and is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and extradition.
Wedding may be living in Mexico, according to the FBI most wanted poster, and he should be considered armed and dangerous..
"Ryan James Wedding is wanted for allegedly running and participating in a transnational drug trafficking operation that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, to Canada, and other locations in the United States. Additionally, it is alleged that Wedding was involved in orchestrating multiple murders in furtherance of these drug crimes," said the FBI, noting a federal arrest warrant was issued for Wedding in the United States District Court, Central District of California, Los Angeles, California, on Sept. 17, this year.
He is: six feet, three inches tall; 240 pounds; with brown hair and blue eyes. He speaks both English and Spanish.
Anyone with information Wedding are being asked to contact the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565, or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
• The News has reached out to the Ridge Meadows RCMP for further comment and will include comments once received
