6 reputed SF Mission District gang members sentenced in cold case murders
SAN FRANCISCO – Six members of a gang in San Francisco's Mission District have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in at least seven cold case murders from over a decade ago, officials said Tuesday.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, all six men pleaded guilty in October 2023 to offenses related to the 19th Street / 16th Street Sureños enterprise.
"This Sureño criminal enterprise has terrorized San Francisco's Mission District for decades through shootings, robberies, and drug dealing," said U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey. "The sentences in this case make clear that we will pursue the perpetrators of gang violence and seek justice no matter when that violence occurred."
According to prosecutors, 35-year-old Eddy Urbina was sentenced to 32 years in prison after admitting to a Sep. 4, 2008 shooting where he and others killed two victims and attempted to kill a third person in retaliation for a murder of a Sureño earlier that day. Urbina also attempted to reveal the identity of a government witness to a fellow gang member in prison by using a letter in coded language, along with selling narcotics and robbery.
Jonathan Aguilar was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Prosecutors said the 37-year-old admitted to a March 14, 2006 shooting in which he and other gang members killed two victims and attempted to kill two others.
In his plea agreement, Aguilar also admitted to another shooting in Sep. 2007 and to selling narcotics.
Two members, identified as 41-year-old Orlando Hernandez and 34-year-old Weston Venegas, received 13-year prison sentences. Hernandez and Venegas admitted to taking part in a March 30, 2013 murder that was planned as a retaliation for the murder of another Sureño two years earlier.
Prosecutors said the victim was not a rival, but an innocent civilian mistaken for a rival.
Hernandez and Venegas are currently serving 12-year sentences after being convicted of racketeering in 2015. The judge in the case ordered the sentences to be run consecutively, resulting in a 25-year sentence for each.
Juan Carlos Gallardo, 35, was sentenced to 22 years in prison after admitting to a Feb. 28, 2009 shooting at a house party in Richmond in which a 16-year-old boy was killed. He also admitted to multiple robberies.
Mario Reyes, 44, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in the March 20, 2013 incident, but not in the murder itself. He also admitted to racketeering and selling narcotics.
"We hope this sentence provides some solace and closure to victim families who have suffered for a significant period of time," said Tatum King, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge.
Prosecutors said all six men were ordered to spend five years on supervised release once they have completed their respective prison sentences.
