Three San Francisco Mission District Norteño Gang Members Charged With Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Murders And Attempted Murder And Weapons Violations

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal grand jury in San Francisco charged Fernando Madrigal, AKA “Nando,” Alvaro Reina Cordero, AKA “G-Boy,” and Oscar Guadron Diaz, AKA “Cutty,” in a superseding indictment with charges of a racketeering conspiracy involving three murders and a shooting; the use and the discharge of a firearm during violent offenses; and the possession of a machinegun, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair.

In the original indictment filed August 20, 2020, the defendant Madrigal, 22, of San Francisco, was identified as a member of a street gang known as the San Francisco Mission District (SFMD) Norteños and charged with the July 8, 2019, shooting murder in the Mission District of a 15 year old who was mistaken as a rival gang member.   

In the superseding indictment unsealed December 11, 2020, the federal grand jury charged Madrigal and two others, Reina Cordero, 23, of Daly City and Guadron Diaz, 21, of Oakland, with charges of firearm violence and of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy that involved committing multiple violent acts to support the SFMD Norteño gang, of which they are alleged to be members.  Norteño gang members work together to support their gang by acts such as “hunting” to find and kill members of rival gangs, armed robberies, shootings, and other violence, all of which enhances the gang’s reputation as being strong, powerful, and dominant.  Norteño gang members also commit crimes to enhance the financial strength of their gang, such as drug trafficking, theft, and firearms trafficking.

The racketeering conspiracy charge against the three defendants Madrigal, Reina Cordero, and Guadron Diaz describes the violent acts the defendants engaged in as part of and in furtherance of the conspiracy to support their Norteño gang. 

The superseding indictment charges that on or about January 23, 2018, Reina Cordero and Guadron Diaz, with others, murdered one victim and attempted to murder a second victim, who are identified in the superseding indictment as Victim-1 and Victim-2, respectively. 

The superseding indictment alleges that the attack occurred at approximately 5:11 pm near Leese Street and Richland Avenue, an intersection near Mission Street in San Francisco, while vehicle traffic and pedestrians were nearby.  Multiple gunshots were fired during the attack. 

The superseding indictment alleges Reina Cordero and Guadron Diaz targeted and murdered Victim-1 because they believed he associated with a rival Sureño gang.  Victim-2, who was with Victim-1, suffered a gunshot wound to the face but survived.                       

The superseding indictment also charges that on July 12, 2018, Madrigal, with others, murdered Victim-3.  The superseding indictment alleges that on the date of July 12, 2018, Victim-3’s car was located unattended near Candlestick Park in San Francisco.  Days later, Victim-3’s cell phone was recovered near the San Mateo Bridge.  It had blood on it.  Over a year later, on February 20, 2020, tree trimmers found human remains in a wooded area in Oakland.  The body’s skull was missing but located later, on or about March 25, 2020.  The remains were submitted for DNA comparisons and determined to be those of Victim-3.  Information from Victim-3’s cell phone indicates that Madrigal had arranged to meet Victim-3 at Candlestick Park, claiming he wanted to buy marijuana from the victim.

The superseding indictment further charges the murder of July 8, 2019 – charged earlier in the original indictment – in which Madrigal, with others, shot and killed Victim-4.  The superseding indictment details that this murder occurred just after midnight and within two blocks of the 24th Street and Mission Street BART station in San Francisco.  Police identified the 15-year old murder victim by a student identification card in his pocket and determined that he lived in the area claimed by Army Street.  The superseding indictment alleges Madrigal targeted Victim-4 because Madrigal believed Victim-4 was associated with the Army Street gang.  Nine rifle casings were recovered from the scene.  Immediately after the murder on July 8, Madrigal and others allegedly drove to the Bernal Dwellings Apartments, which is claimed by the Army Street gang as its territory, and fired another shot from the same gun used in the murder, and immediately thereafter led San Francisco Police Department officers on a high-speed chase down Highways 101 and 280 before getting away near John Daly Boulevard. 

The superseding indictment also charges Reina Cordero and Guadran Diaz together in a separate count with the crime of the use of a firearm in the murder of Victim 1 and in another count charges them with the discharge of a firearm in the attempted murder of Victim-2.  The superseding indictment also separately charges Madrigal with the use of a firearm in the murder of Victim-3 and in another count charges Madrigal with the use of a firearm in the murder of Victim-4. 

The superseding indictment further charges Guadron Diaz with possession of a machinegun on January 25, 2018.  

Reina Cordero was arrested and made his initial appearance on these charges in federal court on December 11, 2020.  He remains in custody and is set for a detention hearing on December 18.  Guadron Diaz went into FBI custody last night and made his initial appearance today in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler.  He remains in custody, and his next appearance is scheduled on December 18 for a detention hearing.  Madrigal remains in federal custody and is scheduled for his next appearance on December 17.        

A superseding indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  The following chart outlines the charges and maximum sentences:

The maximum sentences are reflected above; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. 

The United States Attorney’s Office Organized Crime Gang Strike Force is prosecuting this case.  The prosecution is the result of a multi-year investigation by the FBI, together with San Francisco Police Department’s Gang Task Force and Homicide Detail