Ricardo Gonzales, 32, a suspected high-ranking member of the Venezuelan street gang Tren De Aragua (TDA), was apprehended as a result of a coordinated law enforcement effort headed by the United States Marshal Service’s (USMS) Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force. Gonzales was captured in Cobb County, Georgia, yesterday and detained on a Chicago Police Department arrest warrant for kidnapping. He is also wanted on probable cause charges for two counts of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.
Gonzales faces accusations stemming from a tragic occurrence on January 28 in Chicago, when he allegedly kidnapped three women and led them to an alley. All three of the victims were shot in the head. Tragically, two of the women perished on the spot, while the third survived, escaped, and contacted 911.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi commented on the arrest, stating, “This defendant’s crimes against American women are horrific, and he is exactly the type of Alien Enemy the Trump administration is fighting to remove from this country in order to make America safe again.”
USMS Acting Director Mark Pittella praised the collaborative effort, saying, “This case is a reflection of the tireless work the U.S. Marshal Service and partnering agencies put in to make sure justice has its day in court. Every arrest contributes to safer communities and demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting the public.”
Gonzales is currently in Cobb County Jail awaiting extradition to Chicago. During the arrest, officials took five more people into custody, who were then taken to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) detention facilities.
The USMS’ SERFTF, which was founded in 2003, collaborates with multiple federal, state, and municipal authorities throughout Georgia and has arrested almost 47,000 fugitives since then.
