The U.S. Justice Department released the below information:
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced the unsealing
of multiple indictments against more than 70 individuals, including leaders and
members of designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA),
linked to various violent crimes inside and outside the United States,
including murder, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, money laundering, and
controlled substance trafficking. These actions include indictments across five
U.S. Attorney offices, including the District of Colorado, District of Nebraska,
District of New Mexico, Southern District of New York, and the Southern
District of Texas.
Since January
20, 2025, the Department has federally indicted over 260 members of TdA.
“Immediately
upon taking office, I directed the Department of Justice to fiercely pursue the
total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” said
Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This latest multi-state series of charges
underscores the Trump Administration's unwavering commitment to restoring
public safety, dismantling violent trafficking networks, and ridding our
country of Tren de Aragua terrorists.”
“Tren de
Aragua is a terrorist cartel that exploits our borders to bring murder, drugs,
and chaos into American communities,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd
Blanche. “This Department is crushing their leadership, dismantling their
networks, and cutting off their money across the United States. There will be
no safe haven here. If you cross our border to commit violent crime, we will
find you, prosecute you, and put you away.”
“The FBI is
committed to investigating members of violent transnational gangs whose actions
violate our laws and put American lives at risk,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
“The existence of TdA is a direct threat to our national security, and we will
not allow such a dangerous criminal organization to take root in our
communities. Together with our law enforcement partners at every level, we are
working to bring these ruthless criminals to justice.”
“Tren de
Aragua is a ruthless, highly organized, and rapidly expanding foreign terrorist
organization that thrives on chaos and human suffering,” said DEA Administrator
Terrance Cole. “They exploit alliances with other terrorist-designated groups
and transnational networks, including the FARC, ELN, and Cartel de los Soles,
fueling instability, corruption, and violence across the region while
endangering American communities. DEA is confronting this threat by
relentlessly targeting their leadership, financial networks, and
infrastructure. Those who align with TdA are standing against the United States
and will face the full force of federal law enforcement.”
“The United
States Marshals Service makes this point clear to all members of gangs like
Tren de Aragua, we are coming for you,” said Gadyaces S. Serralta, Director of
the United States Marshals Service. “We will not give you a moment of rest. We
will find you. We will arrest you. You will be made to answer for your crimes.
We will continue to work with all of our federal partners, to rid you from our
country. Together, we are making the communities of America safer.”
“The foreign
terrorist organization known as Tren de Aragua has used illicit firearms to
maintain and expand control of its criminal enterprise, and imparted untold
violence, widespread narcotics addiction, and death in American communities,”
said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Deputy Director Rob
Cekada. “The men and women of ATF, along with our federal law enforcement
partners, have worked tirelessly to bring the members of this organization to
justice. We will continue to systematically dismantle Tren de Aragua and other
foreign terrorist organizations to ensure our communities are protected from
harm. The days of Tren de Aragua running roughshod over the American public,
preying on, and profiting from American citizens is over.”
“These actions
reflect the strength of our partnerships and our determination to dismantle
criminal networks like Tren de Aragua,” said BOP Director William K. Marshall
III. “The Federal Bureau of Prisons is proud to support this mission by
providing critical intelligence and secure management of offenders, ensuring
justice and safety for our communities.”
A case summary
is below:
Two alleged
leaders of TdA have been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with a
series of crimes in Colorado. These defendants are facing several charges
including a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy.
The indictment alleges that from May 2024 through on or about March of 2025,
the defendants conducted activity for TdA through a pattern of racketeering
activity that included robbery, extortion, kidnapping, money laundering and
controlled substance offenses. The defendants are also charged with conspiracy
to commit robbery and two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and firearms offenses in
connection with the armed robberies of two jewelry stores in the Denver,
Colorado area in June of 2024.
DISTRICT OF NEBRASKAa grand jury returned two indictments charging a total of 54 individuals, some associated with TdA, for leading and facilitating a large-scale conspiracy to use malware to steal millions of dollars from U.S. financial institutions by hacking ATMs. Charges against some of the defendants included conspiracy to provide material support for terrorism, in addition to conspiracies to commit bank fraud, money laundering, bank burglary, and computer fraud and abuse.
DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO federal prosecutors have indicted 11 alleged members and leaders of TdA on racketeering charges, accusing them of kidnapping, brutally interrogating, and strangling a victim in an Albuquerque apartment, before burying his body in a remote desert grave. Some defendants were also directly involved in an armed confrontation at an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, during which rival groups exchanged gunfire and a victim was killed.
An indictment
has been unsealed charging Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, a/k/a “Nino
Guerrero,” in connection with a leadership role in TdA operating throughout
North America, South America, and Europe. For over a decade, Guerrero Flores
has served as either the leader or co-leader of TdA, acting as the mastermind
over TdA’s expansion across the Western Hemisphere. While operating from
Venezuela and elsewhere, Guerrero Flores ordered, directed, facilitated, and
supported acts of violence and terrorism transcending national boundaries,
including murders, kidnappings, extortions, and maiming against victims located
inside and outside the United States, and facilitated the transport of tons of
cocaine from Venezuela to the United States. Guerrero Flores is currently at
large, and the U.S. Department of State is offering rewards of up to $5 million
for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction.
A six-count
superseding indictment has been unsealed charging four Venezuelan nationals,
including multiple alleged high-ranking members of TdA, for conspiring to
provide and providing material support to TdA, and for conspiracy and
distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the United
States. According to court records, two of the defendants are some of the
topmost TdA leaders, with one allegedly exercising command and control over all
of TdA’s criminal operations, including the illegal importation and smuggling
of gold and narcotics, extortion, and murder. The two other defendants are also
high-ranking TdA leaders who operate out of multiple South American countries
and direct operations to include gold smuggling, narcotics export and violent
crime.
These cases
are part of Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), which was created in 2019 to
eradicate MS-13 and now expandedat
the direction of Attorney General Bondi to target Tren de Aragua. JTFV is
comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Southern
and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North
Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of
Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern
District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada; as well as the as well as the
Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys Department of Justice’s National
Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI,
ATF, USMS, and the Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners
with JTFV. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the
Criminal Division’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, has also
provided significant assistance.
TdA is a
violent transnational criminal organization that originated as a prison gang in
Venezuela in the mid-2000s. TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout
the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States. TdA’s
criminal activities include a variety of violent and criminal offenses,
including drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking,
kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit
murder, assault, and other acts of violence to enforce and further the
organization’s criminal activities. TdA has also developed an additional source
of revenue stream through financial crimes that target financial institutions
throughout the United States, including using jackpotting to steal millions of
dollars in cash.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are
presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of
law.
Updated December 18, 2025
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