The man allegedly behind the iconic Bay Area sideshow photo is sentenced to two years in federal prison

SAN FRANCISCO — The Hayward man behind an iconic 2021 Sideshow photo was sentenced to two years in federal prison for possessing weapons that police found during a raid on his apartment, court records show.

Christopher Gonzalez-Nunez, 27, was sentenced in late September by U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. It's a pretty standard gun possession case, except for two things: Gonzalez-Nunez's connection to a photo that went viral on social media in 2021 and his connection to a group of notorious gang members behind a series of murders.

Gonzalez-Nunez was charged last year after police found three guns during a June 2023 raid on his Hayward apartment. Prosecutors say they also have evidence that he offered guns for sale on Instagram.

In 2021, Gonzalez-Nunez allegedly drove a car in a sideshow while his girlfriend hung out the window with a miniature AK-47. A bystander took a photo that seemed to illustrate the lawlessness inherent in the reason why some people love sideshows and others hate them. The photo went viral on social media, but the identity of the subjects remained a mystery until prosecutors filed a lawsuit against Gonzalez-Nunez in 2023.

Additionally, authorities say Gonzalez-Nunez associated himself with members of the Norteño gang, who were responsible for murders in the area. They included Fernando Madrigal, a justice reform activist who appeared at a demonstration against gun violence with the mother of a man he killed before being charged in the shooting.

But Gonzalez-Nunez has taken steps to improve his life, prosecutors acknowledged in a sentencing memo, praising his “maturation and development” since the indictment

“He was employed as a tow truck driver. He has a small child,” the prosecutor’s verdict reads, also praising him for his admission of guilt. The memo later states: “And when the government took the risk of agreeing to a short-term release so that González could spend Christmas with his young child and his family, there were no problems with either his release or his self-surrender.”

Originally published: November 7, 2024 at 3:06 pm PST