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During two attempts to kill the cartel's target, they wounded
two people and killed one, according to the U.S. Attorney's
Office. Each gang member expected to be paid approximately
$50,000, prosecutors said.
According to their plea agreements, the two teenagers are
members of the Mexican Mafia-affiliated Westside Wilmas gang
from the greater Los Angeles area.
On March 27, 2024, they drove from their homes in Wilmington to
find their target at a Chili's restaurant in Chula Vista, a
suburb of San Diego. When the target was leaving the restaurant
with his family, they shot at him in the parking lot and struck
his legs, prosecutors said. They also attempted unsuccessfully
to hit him with their car when their firearm jammed and they
fled the scene.
Later that night, the two teenagers showed up at the intended
victim’s home joined by an older accomplice. After the two shot
indiscriminately at the people in the apartment, hitting one of
them in the hand, arm and face, one of the people shot and
killed the teenagers' accomplice in self-defense, prosecutors
said.
The two teenagers pleaded guilty in federal court to two
attempted murder charges and the murder of their accomplice,
which prosecutors called a “provocative-act murder," meaning
their actions were responsible for their accomplice's death.
They were charged with attempted murder in aid of racketeering
and murder in aid of racketeering — which can carry a punishment
of life in prison or the death penalty — because their actions
were to promote the Westside Wilmas gang, which also engages in
drug trafficking, weapons distribution and more, prosecutors
said.
They admitted they were tapped to kill the target because they
were under the age of 16 at the time, which made them ineligible
to be prosecuted as adults in California under a law passed in
2018.
“The disgraceful tactic of cartels, street gangs, and the
Mexican Mafia using underage children for murderous acts to
evade enhanced punishments will not be tolerated," said Mark
Dargis, special agent in charge of the FBI San Diego Field
Office.
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