U.S. authorities have charged 28 individuals, including members and associates of Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan gang designated as a foreign terrorist group, with a range of serious offenses. Among the charges are murder-for-hire, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses, which were uncovered during a nine-month investigation linked to violent crimes in Denver and Aurora, Colorado. Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), have worked together to dismantle these criminal networks, resulting in the seizure of 69 firearms, some of which have been associated with violent incidents such as shootings and drive-by attacks in the area.
The indictment follows a federal grand jury proceeding that has been instrumental in identifying and charging the individuals involved. U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly highlighted the scope of the criminal activity, noting that the defendants were engaged in selling firearms and drugs in significant quantities. The case also includes a murder-for-hire plot in which several individuals were alleged to have agreed to kill two people for $15,000, with an additional $5,000 required for proof of the murders via severed heads. McNeilly emphasized that the recovered firearms, some of which are privately made and equipped with machine gun conversion devices, have been directly tied to numerous violent acts in the region.
Two of the indicted individuals, Luis Fernando Uribe-Torrealba and Luis Henriquez-Charaima, face separate charges, including murder-for-hire and drug trafficking. They were arrested in Colombia after a U.S. extradition warrant was issued. Both remain in custody pending extradition proceedings, while 24 of the 28 others indicted are currently in federal custody. The operation has been praised by officials for its positive impact on public safety, as it has disrupted the flow of illicit firearms and narcotics into the community.
Surveillance footage from 2023, which depicted heavily armed members of Tren de Aragua taking over an apartment complex in Aurora, has drawn national attention and played a role in the political discourse around gang activity in the United States. The video has been used in the 2024 presidential campaign, with Republican candidate Donald Trump accusing the gang of ‘taking over the whole town’ and vowing to ‘liberate Aurora’ from what he described as illegal alien criminals. However, Aurora police have dismissed the notion that gangs have ‘taken over’ buildings, suggesting that the situation is more complex and that the presence of the gang is an acknowledged but not exaggerated issue.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, has expressed support for the collaboration between local and federal law enforcement to address the threat posed by Tren de Aragua. His office has provided resources and investigative support to aid in the arrests and indictments, reflecting a state-level commitment to combating gang-related violence and enhancing public safety. The government’s ongoing efforts demonstrate a multifaceted approach to tackling the challenges posed by organized criminal networks operating within American communities.