Photo: San Francisco Police Department
Federal authorities credited a photo posted online by the San Francisco Police Department for helping them identify a suspected gang member.
The San Francisco Police Department shared a photo of a woman holding an AK-47 out of the window of a Cadilac in August 2021. Officials said the photo was taken during an illegal sideshow in the Bayview neighborhood.
The photo went viral, and soon, users started tagging Christopher Gonzalez-Nuñez and his girlfriend in the picture. Gonzalez-Nuñez didn't seem shy about the fact that the image went viral and had it put on a t-shirt, which he was seen wearing on his own Instagram account.
"Not only does the car match a vehicle that Gonzalez-Nunez owned at the time, but Instagram users 'tagged' him in photos from the incident and mentioned him by name," Assistant U.S. Attorney Leif Dautch wrote in a legal motion. "Perhaps most tellingly, Gonzalez-Nunez posted a photo on his Instagram account of what appears to be him wearing a t-shirt depicting his significant other leaning out of his car holding the gun."
Federal investigators were able to show that Gonzalez-Nuñez, who is a suspected member of the San Francisco Mission District Norteños gang, was driving the Cadilac at the time and executed a search warrant at his home in June. During the search, FBI agents recovered three firearms, high-capacity magazines, ammunition, and gun assembly tools.
He has been charged with being a felon in possession of three firearms. He remains jailed and could face additional charges as the investigation continues.
Authorities did not identify Gonzalez-Nuñez's girlfriend or say if she was facing any charges.