Once celebrated for his prowess on the snowy slopes, former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding now finds himself facing serious legal troubles in Southern California. Scheduled to appear in court in Santa Ana on Monday, Wedding is accused of orchestrating a large-scale drug smuggling operation that allegedly transported six metric tons of cocaine annually from Mexico into Los Angeles using semitrucks.

His arrest last week marks a significant turn in an investigation that has drawn comparisons from FBI Director Kash Patel, who likened Wedding to notorious figures like ‘El Chapo’ and Pablo Escobar. This characterization underscores the gravity of the charges against him, which suggest involvement in a highly organized and far-reaching criminal enterprise.

The FBI alleges that Wedding played a pivotal role in a transnational network responsible for moving massive quantities of cocaine across the southern U.S. border, distributing it throughout Southern California, and ultimately funneling it into Canada. The scale and sophistication of this operation highlight the challenges law enforcement faces in combating such illicit activities.

Wedding’s legal troubles are compounded by a previous indictment in Los Angeles federal court. The charges he faces are extensive, including accusations of running a continuing criminal enterprise, committing murder in its furtherance, and engaging in various drug-related crimes. As he prepares for his arraignment, the former Olympian’s story serves as a stark reminder of the potential fall from grace that can follow a life once dedicated to athletic excellence.

Wedding was previously indicted in Los Angeles federal court on multiple federal charges, including running a continuing criminal enterprise, committing murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and assorted drug crimes.

A superseding indictment was filed in November, alleging that Wedding ordered the killing of a witness who was set to testify against him in a federal drug trafficking case, according to the Justice Department.

Wedding’s arrest comes after a monthslong search and investigation. Last month, Mexican authorities seized a large number motorcycles believed to be owned by Wedding. The motorcycles have an estimated value of approximately $40 million.

In November, the FBI seized a rare, $13 million 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR Roadster as part of their ongoing manhunt.

The U.S. Department of State was offering a $15 million reward for information regarding Wedding, who is alleged to be a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, according to Patel.

Prior to starting his alleged criminal enterprise, Wedding, whose alleged aliases include “El Jefe,” “Giant” and “Public Enemy,” was a professional snowboarder and competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

ABC News contributed to this report.