Gang Member Sentenced to Life for South San Francisco Murders, Attempted Murder of Federal Agents and Racketeering Conspiracy

Victor Flores, 23, of Petaluma, California, a member of the 500 Block/C Street Gang of South San Francisco, was sentenced to life in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, Acting Special Agent in Charge Tatum King of Homeland Security Investigations and Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson of FBI.

Flores was convicted after a three-month trial spanning from April through July of 2014 before the Honorable U.S. District Judge Susan Illston.  According to the evidence presented at trial, during the evening of Dec. 22, 2010, Flores, along with fellow 500 Block/C Street gang member Joseph Ortiz, shot at seven victims who they perceived to be members of the rival Cypress Park Locos gang as the victims walked down Eighth Lane in South San Francisco. Gonzalo Avalos, Omar Cortez and Hector Flores were killed while three of the others were wounded.  In addition, on May 3, 2012, when special agents of the Los Angeles Special Response Team of Homeland Security Investigations tried to arrest Flores at his home in Petaluma, Flores shot at the agents with an AK-47-style assault rifle, emptying two full magazines of ammunition and wounding three agents before eventually surrendering to law enforcement.

The jury convicted Flores of racketeering murders of Avalos, Cortez, and Flores; racketeering attempted murders of the other four victims on Eighth Lane; attempted murders of three federal agents; using a firearm in furtherance of the December 22, 2010, and May 3, 2012, murders and attempted murders; conspiring to conduct the affairs of the 500 Block/C Street Gang through a pattern of racketeering; conspiring to commit murder in aid of racketeering; and conspiring to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.

“Nothing can erase the pain and sorrow caused by Flores’ vicious, unrepentant, criminal behavior,” said U.S. Attorney Haag.  “I hope that the life sentence imposed against him brings some measure of relief to Flores’ victims and their families and that they will at least feel a sense of justice.  I am extraordinarily proud of the professionalism and bravery demonstrated by the men and women of law enforcement in this case.  They are true heroes and we are especially thankful for their service and commitment to the pursuit of justice.”

“Today’s sentence assures that no one else will risk being killed or maimed by an individual who has shown no regard for our laws or human life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge King.   “As we said when this defendant was arrested, ‘justice is patient and justice is resolute.’  Well today, justice was served.  We owe a profound debt of gratitude to the prosecutors in this case, the FBI and the investigators with the police departments in South San Francisco and Daly City, all of whom worked tirelessly in collaboration with HSI to bring this outcome about.”

“The South San Francisco Police Department is very pleased with today’s sentencing of Victor Flores,” said Chief of Police Jeff Azzoparti.  “Our ultimate goal as a police department is to provide a safe community for our residents to live in.  Flores is an extremely violent criminal and today’s sentence removes Flores from our streets and brings us closer to a safer community.  Our thoughts are with the victim’s families and while today’s sentence will not bring back their loved ones, hopefully it helps bring closure to the case knowing justice has been served.  The South San Francisco Police Department is determined to rid our community of violent gang members and we will continue to utilize any and all resources available to us to meet that end.  We would like to thank the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their steadfast contributions in this case, which ultimately brought it to a successful resolution.”

“The conviction of Victor Flores for murder and for his attempted murder of three Department of Homeland Security agents represents a significant victory for the rule of law and for the agents and officers who put their lives on the line every day to enforce those laws,” said Special Agent in Charge Johnson.  “The severity of the sentencing demonstrates that our court system will not tolerate violent behavior towards law enforcement agents and those who engage daily in the pursuit of justice.”

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Acadia L. Senese, Stephen Meyer and Benjamin Tolkoff are prosecuting this case, with the assistance of paralegal Kevin Costello and legal technician Daniel Charlier-Smith.  The sentence imposed on Flores is the culmination of a lengthy investigation initiated by the South San Francisco and Daly City Police Departments more than four years ago.  In 2011, Homeland Security Investigations joined the investigation and the FBI investigated the attempted murder of the Homeland Security Investigations agents.  In all, more than 19 defendants were charged and convicted in crimes related to the 500 Block/C Street Gang activity.