Alleged Mexican drug kingpin awaiting extradition to face drug charges in Southern Calif.

Alleged drug kingpin to face charges in Calif.

VENTURA, Calif. — Court filings link this week’s arrest of an alleged Mexican drug kingpin with a series of Southern California raids that netted more than 130 pounds of heroin in January 2008, a newspaper reported Friday.

Jose Antonio Medina, known as Mexico’s “King of Heroin,” was arrested in the western state of Michoacan on Wednesday and is awaiting extradition to Ventura County to face drug charges, prosecutors said.

Court filings show that the 2008 drug raids occurred after wiretaps recorded 20 phone conversations about drug transactions over a three-month period between Medina and Oxnard resident Salvador Alvarez, the Ventura County Star reported.

The taps also intercepted calls to the Downey home of Julio Ramirez Sr., who allegedly delivered drugs supplied by Medina.

In addition to the heroin, investigators seized 28 pounds of methamphetamines and more than $200,000 during the raids, authorities said at the time.

Ramirez is currently awaiting sentencing. Alvarez is serving prison time.

Medina, nicknamed “Don Pepe,” was charged with one count of conspiracy to transport narcotics for sale from noncontiguous counties, with a special allegation that the drugs exceeding 40 kilograms, according to a criminal complaint filed in January 2009.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Ryan Wright said prosecutors worked with State Department officials to obtain an arrest warrant from Mexico, which was issued the following March.

Wright said Medina, 35, faces a maximum sentence of 29 years if convicted on all counts.

Information from: Ventura County Star, venturacountystar.com