It's the end of the line for six members of a notorious gang that wreaked havoc on the streets of San Francisco. According to a statement by United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, six men were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their violent roles in a spate of gang-related cold-case murders that terrorized the Mission District over the years, as reported by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California. The sentences, meted out by Chief United States District Judge Richard Seeborg, ranged from 11 to 32 years behind bars.
The men, associated with the 19th Street/16th Street Sureños enterprise, entered guilty pleas in October last year for offenses that spanned seven brutal murders occurring between 2006 and 2013. Chief among the convicts, Eddy "Rhino" Urbina, 35, received a 32-year sentence for a double homicide in 2008, alongside other crimes. These men sealed their fates with testimonies revealing the depth of their criminal enterprise. Another prominent figure, Jonathan "Trompo" Aguilar, was served with a 30-year sentence earlier this month for shootouts that claimed multiple lives, as detailed by U.S. Attorney Ramsey and confirmed by Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, underscoring a resolute response to gang violence.
Orlando "Chisto" Hernandez and Weston "Cartoon" Venegas, already serving 12 years from a past racketeering conviction, were handed an additional 13 years to their existing sentences—bringing their new total incarceration time to a solid quarter-century each. Both acknowledged their part in a tragic mistaken identity shooting that resulted in the death of an innocent civilian, as stated by the Justice Department.
Meanwhile, Juan Carlos "Huero" Gallardo, 35, must now serve 22 years for the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old at a house party in 2009. The sixth member, Mario "Shy Boy" Reyes, 44, implicated in the winter of 2013 murder hunt, pled guilty to racketeering conspiracies that avoided the gravest of charges—his role relegated him to a comparatively lesser 11-year term. Furthermore, after completing their sentences, all six individuals must undergo five years of supervised release, as ordered by Judge Seeborg.
These sentences deliver a powerful message, with U.S. Attorney Ramsey stating, "This Sureño criminal enterprise has terrorized San Francisco’s Mission District for decades through shootings, robberies, and drug dealing." He expressed satisfaction in bringing closure to the victims' families and holding the perpetrators accountable for their actions.
