A joint task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials arrested 16 members of the Venezuelan “Anti-Tren” gang, a spinoff faction of the Tren de Aragua foreign terrorist organization. Officials called it as the “largest takedown of suspected anti-Tren members and associates by the FBI, so far.”
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Nicholas J. Ganjei stated, “The Southern District’s twin priorities are border security and the eradication of violent crime.” This case implicates both.”
Ganjei announced on Monday that law enforcement officers from the FBI Houston Field Office, DEA, U.S. Marshals, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and Houston Police Department collaborated to arrest 16 members of the Anti-Tren gang. He announced the charging of former members and affiliates of Tren de Aragua (TdA) with drug trafficking and weapons violations.
“Similar to TdA, purposes of Anti-Tren allegedly include preserving and protecting the power and territory of the organization and its members and associates through attempted murder, other acts of violence, and threats of such,” officials stated.
Earlier this year, the United States Department of State recognized TdA as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
The United States Attorney’s Office reported:
Two criminal complaints charge 14 Anti-Tren members and associates with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. These include Luis Miguel Claros Sarmiento, 26, Dany E. Rojas, 28, Ismael Leon Belbin, 24, Andy Luis Alvarez Herrera, 28, Cesar Oskeiber Cabezas Pacheco, 26, and Cesar Mauricio Velasquez, 27; Venezuelan nationals Raul Armando Ramirez Correa, 24, Darwin Martinez, 37, Peter Davila, 34, Otis Jose Rodriguez Garcia, 31, Pedro Hernandez Delgado, 19, Jesus F. Fernandez Troconiz, 26, Embeer J. Gutierrez Ternawskyj, 24, as well as Raul Antonio Claros Sarmiento, 30, Honduras.
According to the allegations, two groups of individuals agreed to transport kilogram quantities of cocaine in exchange for $15,000 for each load with each group accepting half as payment in advance.
“Operation Take Back America means going on the offensive against transnational criminal organizations to ensure that they cannot take root in our community and endanger public safety,” Ganjei stated. “SDTX (Southern District of Texas) is going to be unapologetic in carrying out that mission.”
Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office added, “These arrests are the largest takedown of suspected Anti-Tren members and associates by the FBI, so far, and they happened right here in Houston.”
“These individuals are accused of engaging in a turf war with TdA members and carrying out numerous violent crimes throughout our city, including a mass shooting at a local sports bar that left six people wounded,” Williams added. “Fortunately, for the good and safety of our community, these individuals are now in federal custody facing U.S. justice.”
The DOJ released the following details about those arrested:
Correa, Ternawskyj, Garcia, Delgado and Pedro Jose Ramirez Delgado, 26, are also charged separately with various weapons offenses based on their alleged possession and sale of firearms. If convicted of those charges, they could receive up to 15 years in prison.
Jose Miguel Briceno, 25, a Venzuelan national who resided in Houston illegally, is charged separately with unlawful possession of ammunition by an alien. The criminal complaint alleges he was involved in a mass shooting at the Latinas Sports Bar club in Houston in March where six people were wounded, four of whom were in critical condition. According to the complaint, Briceno used a firearm to shoot inside the doorway of the bar and then discarded the firearm which law enforcement never located. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 possible fine.
If convicted, the defendants in these cases could face life in prison and a $10 million punishment.
The inquiry is being carried out by a team known as the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan. Officials added:
JTFV, which was created to combat MS-13 and now expanded to TdA under Attorney General Bondi, has been comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Ohio; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; District of Columbia and Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada and Alaska as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security and Criminal Divisions. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; ICE-Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners and spearheaded JTFV’s investigations.
The majority of those arrested were due to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray on Wednesday afternoon.
