Six gang members who ‘terrorized’ SF Mission District sentenced

Amy Larson
·2 min read
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SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Six San Francisco men were sentenced to prison after they “terrorized” the Mission District with murders between 2006 and 2013, announced United States Attorney Ismail Ramsey. The men were members of the 19th Street/16th Street Surenos gang, and at least seven murder cases were connected to the group, prosecutors said.

The following prison sentences were handed down by U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg this month:

  • Eddy Urbina, aka “Rhino” – sentenced to 32 years

  • Weston Venegas, aka “Cartoon” – sentenced to 25 years

  • Orlando Hernandez, aka “Chisto” – sentenced to 25 years

  • Juan Carlos Gallardo, aka “Huero” – sentenced to 22 years

  • Jonathan Aguilar, aka “Trompo” – sentenced to 30 years

  • Mario Reyes, aka “Shy Boy” – sentenced to 11 years

“This Sureno criminal enterprise has terrorized San Francisco’s Mission District for decades through shootings, robberies, and drug dealing,” Ramsey said. “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. We are pleased to bring closure to the families of these victims and to hold these defendants accountable for the tremendous harm they caused.”

The convicted gang members, who range in ages from 34-44, pleaded guilty last year to a wide range of crimes.

Hernandez and Venegas each admitted to taking part in a March 30, 2013 retaliation murder in the Mission. The murder victim was not a rival, but an innocent civilian mistaken for a rival, investigators said. Reyes admitted that he, too, was involved in the hunt for victims that day.

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Urbina admitted to committing a shooting September 4, 2008, in which he and others killed two victims in San Francisco, and attempted to kill a third in retaliation for the murder of a fellow Sureno earlier that day.

Gallardo admitted to shooting and killing a victim on February 28, 2009, while at a house party in Richmond. The victim was a 16-year-old boy.

Aguilar admitted to committing a shooting on March 14, 2006 in San Francisco, in which he and others killed two victims and attempted to kill two others.

The case was the result of a multi-year investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the San Francisco Police Department’s homicide detectives and Community Violence Reduction Team.

“This sentencing reflects efforts by law enforcement to pursue justice in a long running case that terrorized victims in the Mission District and beyond,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.

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