San Diego Prison Inmates Sentenced for Gang-Motivated Stabbing Linked to Mexican Mafia 'Shot Caller'

Two inmates were sentenced this week for violently attacking a fellow prisoner at a federal jail in downtown San Diego, reportedly under orders from a Mexican Mafia gang leader.

Jonathan Barba received 51 months in federal prison, and Abraham Gomez-Rodriguez, 37, for their roles in the assault. According to court documents, the incident occurred on March 27, 2024, at the Metropolitan Correction Center.

Barba approached the victim from behind and repeatedly stabbed him with a metal shank, while Gomez-Rodriguez restrained the victim to prevent him from escaping or defending himself. When the victim finally broke free and ran, Gomez-Rodriguez chased and struck him several more times.

The victim suffered stab wounds to his abdomen, neck, head, and dangerously close to his eye, requiring hospitalization.

Both Barba and Gomez-Rodriguez admitted afterward that they carried out the attack to please another inmate named "Alex," a "shot caller" within the Mexican Mafia, per Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden.

Barba, 32, from Victorville, has prior convictions involving domestic violence and drug trafficking. Gomez-Rodriguez, 26, from Imperial Beach, was previously convicted for drug distribution.

Haden emphasized, "Violence has no place in our correctional facilities. We'll use every legal tool we have to keep inmates safe and hold offenders accountable."

Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi praised the FBI San Diego Violent Crime Task Force and MCC Special Investigations Unit for their swift investigation, saying, "We'll continue working closely with our partners to protect the integrity of our correctional institutions."

According to CalMatters, a nonpartisan and nonprofit news outlet, the number of people dying in California jails has increased over the last ten years, despite a notable decrease in imprisonment rates.

San Diego County has one of the highest jail death rates in California. From 2006 through 2020, 185 people died in San Diego county jails. In 2021, the county's jail system reached a record high of 18 deaths.

Additionally, in recent years, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) introduced a policy that places inmates from different rival gangs in the same housing and yard areas to encourage rehabilitation and reduce segregation. Criminal justice advocates cited an uptick in violence following the policy change, arguing that it endangers inmates by forcing them into potentially hostile environments without adequate safeguards.