Ricci Wynne, a viral video creator who focuses on homeless San Francisco drug users, was transferred to federal custody and will return to San Francisco Superior Court on December 6.
Wynne, a drug dealer turned activist known for Fox News appearances, was arrested and jailed Monday morning after cops waited for his flight to arrive at San Francisco International Airport. Wynne was traveling with a woman he is accused of pimping out; she was not arrested.
Wynne had nearly $80,000 in cash when he was arrested, according to police sources with knowledge of the case. Judge Kenneth Wine said Wynne’s charges were “bad” and made a note of the large amount of cash found in a closet in his apartment.
Wynne denied all allegations against him.
The DA’s office asked Wine to detain Wynne due to law enforcement’s discovery of a cellphone in his name showing 18 months’ worth of ad postings for sex work, with logs of clients’ payments and dates. Prosecutors said Wynne’s rented luxury apartment was a sign of a lifestyle that could not be sustained on his salary from cleaning offices and operating a crane.
Semuteh Freeman, a deputy public defender assigned to Wynne’s case, said her office would “fiercely” defend their client.
“I understand that there is a lot of interest around his case, given his social media presence,” Freeman said. “We are going to be fiercely representing him in this case. Right now, all the facts that we know are from law enforcement, so we need to investigate this case.”
Freeman said Wynne has been sober since 2019, was a graduate of Mission High School, and completed the Delancey Street program in 2014.
During the hearing, Wynne’s brother Gage Wynne approached The Standard’s reporter and a photographer. He demanded to know what the photographer planned to do with the camera.
When the reporter approached Gage for comment, he said, “You’re with The Standard. I’m definitely not going to say anything to you, because you guys clearly have it in for my brother. You heard what the judge said? This case has nothing to do with anyone underage. You guys need to do better.”
Wynne’s arrest sprang from an investigation that named him as a suspect in the sexual assault of a 15-year-old, according to a police report viewed by The Standard.
Wine said the accusations involving a 15-year-old are part of a federal case that is not related to the pimping case heard Wednesday. Prosecutors said there is evidence of sex work involving Wynne and a second woman who was not present when he was arrested at the airport.
Moments later, a man who had been sitting in the rear of the courtroom with a woman and an infant approached Gage and called Ricci a name. The men then squared up as if they were about to fight, before sheriff’s deputies rushed to separate them.
Wynne, who is also on federal probation, is expected to appear again in court Dec. 6 and Dec. 12.
Correction: This story has been corrected to note that Wynne has been transferred to federal custody ahead of a Dec. 6 court appearance.