DENVER — What was described as “the biggest investigation” of the Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua in the country unfolded in Colorado over the last 10 months, federal officials announced on Monday, netting 30 indictments of people allegedly involved in drug and weapons trafficking and a “barbaric” murder-for-hire plot.
U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly said Monday that investigators estimated three TdA leaders, five alleged members and “numerous” associates of the gang were charged in the operation.
The investigation started in October of 2024 when the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office started looking into a spike in crime at the Ivy Crossing apartment complex in Aurora with the help of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It would ultimately involve roughly 40 undercover operations where informants bought guns and a drug called tusi – also known as “pink cocaine,” most commonly a mix of ketamine and ecstasy.
“What began as a local violent crime case quickly evolved into a complex, transnational, armed drug and firearms trafficking investigation with links to major cities like Chicago, Kansas City and Miami, ultimately leading agents to two international arrests in Colombia,” Brent Beavers, an ATF special agent in charge, said Monday.
- Watch federal officials provide an update on the investigation in the video player below:
The two individuals arrested in Medellin, Colombia – Luis Fernando Uribe-Torrealba and Luis Henriquez Charaima – were among those “most responsible” for the alleged crimes, officials said. Their capture, which occurred recently as part of a complex process that involved cooperation with Colombian law enforcement, was instrumental in officials going public with information about the sting, McNeilly said.
Sixty-nine firearms and “pounds” of narcotics were seized throughout the operation, which included agents from the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, ICE Enforcement, Joint Task Force Vulcan, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Aurora Police and the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation also uncovered a murder-for-hire plot in which “several” of the suspects involved agreed to kill two people in exchange for $15,000 – and offering the victims’ severed heads for extra cash.
Twenty-four of the people charged were in federal custody. The two arrested in Colombia were awaiting extradition to the U.S.
Below is a list of those arrested in the operation:
- Jose Manuel Guerra-Caballero a.k.a “Blanco,” a.k.a. “Cuchillo”
- Jose Gerardo Villamediana-Villanueva
- Michelle Peña
- Kleber Arguello-Villegas
- Jose David Hernandez-Gonzalez
- Jonathan Jose Ocopio-Villalobos
- Victor Alexander Hernandez-Villacreses
- Alexandra Nazaret Marin-Risco
- Jonathan Enrique Medina
- Keidinson Orlando Torrealba-Gonzalez
- Kevin Alexander Ruiz-Perez
- Lenguinyer Guevara-Muro
- Jhon Harrison Villalobos-Salas
- Esleiter Vargas-Morales
- Yeiber Samuel Alfonzo-Martinez
- Guarnel Moises Urbina-Betancourt
- Willangel Maikeyker Martinez-Sanoja
- Kendry Jose Robertis-Garcia
- Michael Joel Ojeda-Avila
- Luis Aguilera-Pericaguan
- Nelo Osmel Comenarez-Morillo
- Santtys Jose Silva-Alvarez
- Rosmer Javier Bello-Garcia
- Jose David Rivas-Mendez
- Antony Alexander Diaz-Gonzalez
- Diomar Armando Mendez-Chavez
- Dannys Alexis Moncada-Arteaga
- Jose Daniel Bencomo-Gutierrez
- Luis Fernando Uribe-Torrealba (arrested in Medellin)
- Luis Henriquez Charaima (arrested in Medellin)
