SAN DIEGO, California — Two teenage gang members were sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for attempting to murder a target of the Sinaloa Cartel and causing the collateral death of a fellow gang member.
Andrew Nunez and Johncarlo Quintero, both from Wilmington, California, pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder charges in December 2025, admitting they acted as hired hitmen for the Sinaloa Cartel, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The crimes occurred on March 26 and 27, 2024, when they were both 15 years old.
The sentencing, delivered by U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson, aims to send a message to gangs like the Sinaloa Cartel and Mexican Mafia that juvenile involvement in serious crimes will not be overlooked. “No to the Sinaloa Cartel recruiting juveniles. No to the Mexican Mafia directing gangland hits in San Diego,” stated U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon…