A 44-year-old Irvine man accused of operating as both a narcotics dealer and prolific identity thief is back in Orange County after authorities tracked him across international borders and extradited him from Peru to face charges spanning 11 separate criminal cases.
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Erick Grant Rustad was returned to the United States this week following a months-long international manhunt involving federal, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies.
The extradition marks the ninth time since January that an Orange County fugitive has been successfully removed or extradited from another country to face criminal charges in Orange County.
Irvine Fugitive Accused of Wide-Ranging Crime Spree
Prosecutors describe Rustad’s alleged criminal activity as extending far beyond drug trafficking.
According to court filings and the OCDA, Rustad had 11 open criminal cases pending in Orange County when he allegedly fled the country in 2025. Authorities say he was already out on bail in two felony cases when he was arrested for allegedly possessing fentanyl with prior drug convictions. After posting a $100,000 bond, investigators say he failed to appear in court and instead fled first to Mexico and then to Peru.
The alleged crimes attributed to Rustad include:
- Fentanyl sales
- Methamphetamine sales
- Identity theft
- Possession of stolen personal identifying information
- Check fraud
- Vehicle-related theft
- Attempted bicycle thefts
- Package theft
- Retail theft
- Drug possession offenses
- Bail-jumping and flight to avoid prosecution
Federal authorities later obtained an unlawful flight warrant after investigators determined he had left the United States to evade prosecution.
Identity Theft Investigation Uncovered Personal Data of Multiple Victims
One of the most serious cases against Rustad stems from a May 2023 search warrant served at his Irvine residence and vehicle by the Irvine Police Department.
Investigators reported finding:
- Notebooks containing names, Social Security numbers, addresses, credit card data, and phone numbers
- Blank access cards
- Checks
- Identity documents
- Printers and presses allegedly capable of producing fraudulent documents
- Methamphetamine
Authorities identified at least 14 victims whose personal information was allegedly in Rustad’s possession. Prosecutors say none of the victims knew Rustad or had given him permission to possess their information.
Identity theft remains one of the most commonly reported economic crimes in California and can result in substantial financial losses and years of credit damage for victims.
Drug Sales Allegations Escalated While Defendant Was Out on Bail
The OCDA alleges Rustad continued committing crimes while released on bail.
Investigators claim that while out on bail for prior felony cases, Rustad exchanged text messages discussing drug prices, purchases, suppliers, and sales. Authorities allege they documented multiple hand-to-hand narcotics transactions before obtaining search warrants.
Subsequent searches reportedly uncovered:
- Fentanyl
- Methamphetamine
- Digital scales
- Packaging materials
- Multiple cell phones
- Crushed Xanax pills
In another case, officers allegedly found methamphetamine concealed beneath the hood of a vehicle alongside dozens of unused baggies commonly associated with narcotics sales.
Authorities also recovered what was described as an electronically controlled license plate flipping device, allowing a vehicle’s license plate to be concealed or changed with the touch of a button.
Maserati Key Theft, Bicycle Burglaries, Check Fraud and Package Theft
The criminal allegations against Rustad span several different Orange County jurisdictions and involve a variety of property crimes.
According to prosecutors:
- Surveillance video allegedly captured Rustad stealing a key belonging to a Maserati in July 2023.
- In March 2024, he allegedly broke into a parking structure storage area while attempting to steal bicycles.
- The same month, prosecutors allege he deposited a stolen and altered $2,795 check into his account.
- He has also been charged with stealing a package from a residential doorstep.
- Another case involves allegations that he stole sunglasses from Nordstrom.
The breadth of the allegations may help explain why prosecutors consolidated their announcement around 11 separate criminal cases rather than a single criminal prosecution.
Potential Sentence: Nearly 30 Years in State Prison
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office says Rustad faces a combined maximum sentence of 29 years and 6 months if convicted on all charges.
While actual sentencing would depend on the outcome of each case, plea negotiations, criminal history enhancements, and whether sentences run concurrently or consecutively, prosecutors appear poised to seek significant prison exposure based on:
- Repeated felony allegations
- Prior drug convictions
- Alleged offenses committed while on bail
- Multiple victims
- Multiple pending criminal cases
- Flight from prosecution
California law imposes additional penalties for defendants who commit new crimes while released on bail for earlier felony offenses.
Orange County Continues Battle Against Fentanyl
Rustad’s extradition comes as Orange County law enforcement agencies continue focusing heavily on fentanyl enforcement.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Orange County Health Care Agency, Orange County recorded 407 fentanyl-related deaths in 2024, down from 613 deaths in 2023. Authorities also reported seizing more than 184 pounds of fentanyl powder and approximately 45,300 fentanyl pills during recent enforcement operations.
Although overdose deaths have declined from recent highs, fentanyl remains a major public safety concern throughout Southern California. County health officials have noted that opioid overdose deaths nearly tripled between 2017 and 2021 before recent improvements began to emerge.
Another International Fugitive Recently Returned to Orange County
The OCDA announcement also highlighted another recent extradition case involving Brian Verbena-Martinez, a 35-year-old registered sex offender accused of kidnapping and repeatedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old Westminster girl in December 2025.
According to prosecutors, Verbena-Martinez fled to Guatemala after the alleged crimes. Working with the FBI, Westminster police and Guatemalan authorities, investigators located and arrested him before extraditing him back to Orange County in September 2026.
Prosecutors allege the defendant lured the victim into his vehicle before sexually assaulting her in multiple locations over several hours.
Verbena-Martinez faces charges including:
- Kidnapping to commit a sex offense
- Forcible rape
- Sexual penetration of a child under 14 by force
- Forcible oral copulation of a child under 14
- Multiple lewd act charges involving a child
If convicted on all charges, prosecutors say he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Court records indicate Verbena-Martinez was previously convicted in Los Angeles County in 2019 of arranging to meet a minor for sexual conduct and was required to register as a sex offender.
Orange County’s Expanding International Fugitive Program
The successful return of both Rustad and Verbena-Martinez highlights an increasingly aggressive effort by Orange County prosecutors and federal authorities to pursue fugitives who attempt to evade prosecution by leaving the country.
The cases involved coordination among:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs
- U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service
- Orange County District Attorney’s Office
- Irvine Police Department
- Westminster Police Department
- Orange County Sheriff’s Department
- Foreign law enforcement agencies in Peru and Guatemala
The message from prosecutors is clear: fleeing overseas may delay prosecution, but increasingly sophisticated international partnerships are making it more difficult for fugitives to avoid facing charges.
For Rustad, the return flight from Peru appears to mark the end of that attempt. He now faces 11 Orange County criminal cases that collectively carry a potential sentence approaching three decades behind bars if prosecutors secure convictions across the board.