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\n\t\tSan Francisco Hall of Justice \u2013 Photo by David M. Greenwald\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tSan Francisco Hall of Justice \u2013 Photo by David M. Greenwald\t\t<\/p>\n
By Janai Jones, Sophie Lem, Robert Mell, Mariana Ortiz and Annania Sarik<\/p>\n
SAN FRANCISCO \u2014 Testimony in an ongoing jury trial raised questions about whether narcotics found on the accused supported a possession-for-sale charge after a San Francisco police officer acknowledged he never witnessed a drug transaction and confirmed the accused possessed an item commonly used to consume narcotics.<\/p>\n
During the July 13, 2026, trial in Department 21 of the San Francisco Superior Court, Deputy District Attorney Andre Guiulfo presented testimony from San Francisco Police Department Officer Edgar Rangel in support of the prosecution\u2019s possession-for-sale allegation.<\/p>\n
On direct examination, Officer Rangel testified that he assisted Officers Moore and Alvarez in the arrest of the accused on June 11, 2025. During a search of the accused, Rangel said he recovered a \u201cfanny pack,\u201d \u201clocated some cash in one pocket,\u201d \u201csuspected methamphetamine in another pocket,\u201d and \u201csuspected cocaine in [the accused\u2019s] right sock.\u201d<\/p>\n
DDA Guiulfo then asked whether Officer Rangel found any narcotics paraphernalia during the search. Officer Rangel testified there was \u201cno narcotics paraphernalia\u201d found on the accused. Guiulfo followed by asking, \u201cDid you locate any pipes on [the accused]?\u201d Officer Rangel responded, \u201cNo, I did not.\u201d<\/p>\n
On cross-examination, Deputy Public Defender Deborah Awolope questioned whether Officer Rangel had observed any evidence of drug sales. When asked whether he ever saw the accused engage in a narcotics transaction, Officer Rangel replied, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
DPD Awolope then asked Officer Rangel whether he remembered finding a lighter inside the accused\u2019s fanny pack. Officer Rangel answered that he did. When Awolope asked, \u201cIs a lighter considered drug paraphernalia?\u201d Officer Rangel responded, \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Awolope also asked whether Officer Rangel found multiple small plastic baggies in the fanny pack. \u201cNo, I did not,\u201d Officer Rangel testified.<\/p>\n
The defense further established that Officer Rangel recovered the accused\u2019s wallet from the fanny pack. However, Officer Rangel testified he could not recall the denominations of the cash inside the wallet.<\/p>\n
On recross-examination, DPD Awolope confirmed with Officer Rangel that both methamphetamine and cocaine base can be smoked using a lighter.<\/p>\n
The testimony highlighted competing interpretations of the evidence. While Officer Rangel testified that suspected narcotics and cash were recovered from the accused, he also acknowledged he did not observe any narcotics sales, no small packaging materials were recovered, and the lighter found in the fanny pack could be used to consume methamphetamine and cocaine base. The ultimate determination of whether the narcotics were possessed for personal use or for sale remains for the jury to decide.<\/p>\n
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