A Venezuelan street gang showed up at a short-term rental home in Monroe County after a 22-year-old man advertised his own birthday party, resulting in his death and injuries to two others, according to authorities.
Monroe County District Attorney Mike Mancuso provided further details about the case in a recent Facebook post. According to Mancuso, the shooting incident occurred when members of a Venezuelan street gang arrived at a party held in the 1300 block of Clover Road in Long Pond, which is located deep within the Emerald Lakes Subdivision.
According to Mancuso, the Tren de Aragua gang, which originated as a prison gang in Venezuela’s Tocorón Prison, has now evolved into a transnational criminal organization. Over the past six years, their leader, Niño Guerrero, has successfully expanded their criminal network across South America and has recently made inroads into Central America and the United States.
The same gang recently made headlines for what appears to be a “takeover” of an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado. Law enforcement officials in Monroe County have also had multiple encounters with this gang, according to Sheriff Mancuso.
At 4:40 p.m. on Sunday, the Clover Road home in Pocono Mountain was the site of a party that had been advertised by 22-year-old Lionardo Hernandez Zarata. Originally from Venezuela, Zarata had promoted the event by distributing flyers featuring his photo and a peace sign. The Pocono Mountain Regional police received a call regarding the party, as stated by Mancuso.
According to the police, two additional individuals, one aged 23 named Johangel Farfan and another aged 25, both hailing from Venezuela, were discovered with gunshot injuries. Fortunately, the injured duo is currently in stable condition and receiving treatment at a local hospital.
Mancuso vividly described the scene, noting the abundance of spent shell casings and bullet holes. He also observed that it was evident that multiple calibers of ammunition had been used.
According to Mancuso, there were clear signs of a hasty departure by many party-goers throughout the house. The driveway was littered with abandoned suitcases, and personal belongings like cell phones, cash, and Venezuelan ID cards were left behind. Additionally, investigators discovered a substantial amount of drugs and related items that were seized as evidence.
According to the police, investigators were informed of a burglary attempt that was taking place in a home in the Mohegan Court area in Long Pond, which was just a short distance away from Clover Road.
After discovering footprints in the snow, investigators successfully tracked down another attempted break-in. The pursuit led them to a third residence that had already been burglarized, according to the police.
Two men, Victor Cesar Caldera Malpica, 26, and Angel Paez-Seguera, 34, were discovered in the residence and apprehended by the authorities, according to Wagner. He further mentioned that these individuals were also linked to the incident on Clover Road.
Five additional individuals have been apprehended in connection with the incident. Among them are Farfan, Jesus Antonio Olivero Sosa, Heymar Padilla-Moyetones, Yanny Suarez-Rodriguez, and Friamar Vita-Grimar. It is believed that all of them are originally from Venezuela.
Caldera Malpica, who has connections to the Bronx, New York, and Paez-Seguera, who has ties to Brooklyn, New York, have both been charged with several serious offenses. These include felony burglary, felony conspiracy to commit burglary, felony flight to avoid apprehension, felony criminal trespass, criminal attempt to commit burglary, and other related charges.
Farfan, who also has connections to Chicago, along with Padilla-Moyetones, Suarez-Rodriguez, and Vita-Grimar, who all have ties to the Bronx, have been charged with 10 counts of felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, five counts of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, and other drug offenses.
Sosa, who has connections to New York City, faces charges for four counts of felony possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. Additionally, he is charged with five counts of felony conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, along with other drug-related offenses.
All of them, except for Sosa, have faced charges in court and were denied bail by a district judge. They have been transported to the Monroe County jail and are currently being held there. As for Sosa, court records show that they are still awaiting their arraignment on the charges.
Furthermore, it has been reported that Vita-Grimar is involved in an investigation that took place on May 22. This investigation is related to a shooting incident that occurred in Coolbaugh Township, Monroe County.
During the incident, a group of Venezuelan nationals were hosting a several days-long party at a short-term rental in Pocono Farms East. Unfortunately, things took a violent turn when a shooting occurred among the attendees, causing panic and chaos, according to Mancuso.
According to the District Attorney, many of the party-goers expressed a strong fear of retaliation by the gang during interviews, with Detective Erica Burke from the Pocono Mountain Regional Police, who is fluent in Spanish.
The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, Pocono Mountain Regional Police, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Monroe County Coroner’s Office are currently investigating the shooting and burglary incidents. They are being assisted by Stroud Area Regional police, Bethlehem Township police, and Fountain Hill police.
“Through hard work and luck the identity of those involved in the shooting is moving forward nicely,” Mancuso said Friday morning. “The investigation includes a great deal of cooperation and coordination with state and federal law enforcement agencies. The investigation is ongoing.”
The individuals facing charges will have their preliminary hearings scheduled later this month before district court judges. During these hearings, a judge will assess whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial at the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas.
