27 Members or Associates of Tren de Aragua Charged with Racketeering, Narcotics, Sex Trafficking, Robbery and Firearms offenses

Note: A copy of the Anti-Tren indictment can be found here.

Today, two superseding indictments were unsealed charging 27 individuals currently or formerly associated with the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA) with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, robbery, and firearms offenses. The first superseding indictment (the “TdA Indictment”) charges six alleged members of TdA. The second superseding indictment (the “Anti-Tren Indictment”) charges 19 alleged members of “Anti-Tren,” a splinter faction comprised of former TdA members, along with two additional associates of Anti-Tren. Of the 27 defendants, 21 are in federal custody, including 16 who were already in federal criminal, immigration, or state custody and five who were arrested last night and today in operations in New York and other jurisdictions.

“As alleged, Tren de Aragua is not just a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that has destroyed American families with brutal violence, engaged in human trafficking, and spread deadly drugs through our communities,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s indictments and arrests span three states and will devastate TdA’s infrastructure as we work to completely dismantle and purge this organization from our country.”

“Today, we have filed charges against 27 alleged members, former members, and associates of Tren de Aragua, for committing murders and shootings, forcing young women trafficked from Venezuela into commercial sex work, robbing and extorting small businesses, and selling ‘tusi,’ a pink powdery drug that has become their calling card,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky for the Southern District of New York.  “Today’s Indictments make clear that this Office will work tirelessly to keep the law-abiding residents of New York City safe, and hold accountable those who bring violence to our streets.”“Tren de Aragua is one of the most dangerous gangs in the country, and the NYPD has taken significant action to shut down their operations in New York City,” said New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch.  “For the first time ever, TdA is being named and charged as the criminal enterprise that it is. This isn’t just street crime—it’s organized racketeering, and this gang has shown zero regard for the safety of New Yorkers. As alleged in the indictment, these defendants wreaked havoc in our communities, trafficking women for sexual exploitation, flooding our streets with drugs, and committing violent crimes with illegal guns.  Thanks to the dedicated members of the NYPD and the important work of our federal partners, their time is up.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictments:^[1]

The TdA Indictment

TdA is a criminal organization that operated throughout New York City, including the boroughs of the Bronx and Queens, as well as internationally in Venezuela, Peru, and elsewhere. The purposes of TdA included:

• Preserving and protecting the power and territory of TdA and its members and associates through acts involving murder, assault, robbery, other acts of violence, and threats of violence, including acts of violence and threats of violence directed at former members and associates of TdA who associated with a splinter organization known as Anti-Tren.
• Enriching the members and associates of TdA through, among other things:
  • The unlawful smuggling of individuals, including young women from Venezuela, into Peru and the United States;
  • The sex trafficking of young women (whom members and associates of TdA often refer to as “multadas”) who had been unlawfully smuggled into Peru and the United States;
  • The trafficking of controlled substances, including a mixed substance called “tusi” that contains ketamine; and
  • Armed robberies.
• Keeping victims and potential victims in fear of TdA and its members and associates through threats and acts of violence.
• Promoting and enhancing TdA and the reputation and activities of its members and associates.
• Providing assistance to members and associates of TdA who committed crimes for and on behalf of TdA, such as lodging and interstate transportation for members and associates of TdA to flee prosecution.
• Protecting TdA and its members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities through acts of intimidation, threats, and violence against potential witnesses to crimes committed by members of TdA.

Members and associates of TdA transported “multadas” from Venezuela into Peru and the United States in exchange for debts that the “multadas” would pay back to TdA by engaging in commercial sex work. Members of TdA enforced compliance among “multadas” by, among other things:

• Threatening to kill “multadas” and their families,
• Assaulting “multadas,”
• Shooting or killing “multadas,” and
• Tracking down and kidnapping “multadas” who tried to flee.

Members of TdA also committed and conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit, acts of violence, including acts involving murder and assault, to protect and expand TdA’s criminal operations; resolve disputes within TdA; to retaliate against rival organizations, including Anti-Tren; and to maintain control over sex trafficking victims. TdA members and associates also trafficked controlled substances, committed robberies, and obtained, possessed, trafficked, and used firearms and ammunition.

The TdA Indictment charges Jarwin Valero-Calderon, also known as “La Fama,” 29; Samuel Gonzalez Castro, also known as “Klei” and “Kley, ” 28; Eferson Morillo-Gomez, also known as “Jefferson” and “Efe Trebol,” 20; Brayan Oliveros-Chero, 28; Sandro Oliveros-Chero, 25; and Armando Jose Perez Gonzalez, also known as “Biblia,” 30, (the “TdA Defendants”) with conspiring to participate in the TdA racketeering enterprise. Various of the TdA defendants are also charged with participating in offenses relating to drug trafficking, carjacking, robbery, and extortion, as well as firearms offenses. This case is assigned U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote for the Southern District of New York.

If convicted of racketeering conspiracy, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, Morillo-Gomez, Brayan Oliveros-Chero, Sandro Oliveros-Chero, and Perez Gonzalez face up to life in prison. If convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy, Valero-Calderon, Brayan Oliveros-Chero, Sandro Oliveros-Chero, and Perez Gonzalez face up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of carjacking conspiracy, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, and Morillo-Gomez face up to five years in prison. If convicted of carjacking, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, and Morillo-Gomez face up to 15 years in prison. If convicted of Hobbs Act robbery, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, and Morillo-Gomez face up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of firearm use, carrying, and possession, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, and Morillo-Gomez face up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison. If convicted of attempted Hobbs Act extortion, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, and Morillo-Gomez face up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of firearm use, carrying, and possession – conspiracy, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, Morillo-Gomez, Brayan Oliveros-Chero, and Sandro Oliveros-Chero face up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of possession of ammunition by an illegal alien, Brayan Oliveros-Chero faces up to 15 years in prison. If convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, Sandro Oliveros-Chero faces up to 15 years in prison. If convicted of firearm use, carrying, and possession, Perez Gonzalez faces up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. If convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, Perez Gonzalez faces up to 15 years in prison.

The Anti-Tren Indictment

Anti-Tren is a criminal organization almost exclusively comprised of former members and associates of TdA. Anti-Tren operated throughout New York City, including the boroughs of the Bronx and Queens, and in New Jersey, and elsewhere. Like TdA, the purposes of Anti-Tren included:

• Preserving and protecting the power and territory of Anti-Tren and its members and associates through acts involving murder, assault, other acts of violence, and threats of violence, including acts of violence and threats of violence directed at members and associates of TdA.
• Enriching the members and associates of Anti-Tren through, among other things:
  • The unlawful smuggling of individuals, including women and girls from Venezuela, into the United States;
  • The sex trafficking of “multadas” who had been unlawfully smuggled into the United States;
  • The trafficking of controlled substances, including “tusi”; and
  • Armed robberies.
• Keeping victims and potential victims in fear of Anti-Tren and its members and associates through threats and acts of violence.
• Promoting and enhancing Anti-Tren and the reputation and activities of its members and associates.
• Providing assistance to members and associates of Anti-Tren who committed crimes for and on behalf of Anti-Tren, such as lodging and interstate transportation for members and associates of Anti-Tren to flee prosecution, or bail money for members or associates of Anti-Tren who are detained.
• Protecting Anti-Tren and its members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities through acts of intimidation, threats, and violence against potential witnesses to crimes committed by members of Anti-Tren.

Like TdA, Anti-Tren engaged in human smuggling and sex trafficking of “multadas,” into the United States in exchange for debts that the “multadas” would pay back by engaging in commercial sex work. And like TdA, members of Anti-Tren enforced compliance among “multadas” by, among other things:

• Threatening to kill “multadas” and their families,
• Assaulting “multadas,”
• Shooting or killing “multadas,” and
• Tracking down and kidnapping “multadas” who tried to flee.

Members of Anti-Tren also committed and conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit, acts of violence, including acts involving murder and assault, to protect and to expand Anti-Tren’s criminal operations, resolve disputes within Anti-Tren, to retaliate against rival organizations, including Tren de Aragua, and to maintain control over sex trafficking victims. Anti-Tren members and associates also trafficked controlled substances, committed robberies, and obtained, possessed, trafficked, and used firearms and ammunition.

The Anti-Tren Indictment charges Reinaldo Rafael Gonzales-Valdez, also known as “Mariguana” and “Marijuana,” 41; Jose Manuel Guerrero-Zarate, also known as “Mantequilla,” 29; Jose David Valencia-De La Rosa, 27; Johan Carlos Mujica-Urpin, also known as “Sobrino,” 27; Luis Jose Velasquez-Hurtado, also known as “Chito,” 30; Stefano Said Pachon-Romero, 21; Guillermo Freites Velazquez, 26; Jesus David Barrios Garcia, also known as “Morocho,” 27; Giovanny Valentin Blanco Luciano, also known as “Cachorrito,” 20; Anderson Jesus Duran Berroteran, also known as “Cachorro, ” 22; Roiman Noe Bello Ferrer, 37; Luis Miguel Rodriguez-Tapia, 25; Mario Andres Pereda, also known as “Cara de Hombre,” 44; Anderson Smith Zambrano-Pacheco, 26; Yeferson Alejandro Prieto Galviz, also known as “Flaco T” and“Flacote,” 24; Jhonkennedy Bravo-Castro, also known as  “Negrito,” 27; Yender Maykier Mata, 36; Kellen Alejandro Jaspe Bustamante, 20; and Luis Andres Bello-Chacon, also known as  “Care de Peo,” 31 (the “Anti-Tren Defendants”) with conspiring to participate in an Anti-Tren racketeering enterprise. Various of the Anti-Tren Defendants, along with co-defendants Wilfredo Jose Avendaño Carrizalez and Carlos Gabriel Santos Mogollon, are also charged with participating in offenses relating to sex trafficking, conspiracy to import and harbor aliens, drug trafficking, obstruction of justice, and firearms offenses. This case is assigned U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil of the Southern District of New York.

If convicted of racketeering conspiracy, Gonzales-Valdez, Guerrero-Zarate, Valencia-De La Rosa, Mujica-Urpin, Velasquez-Hurtado, Pachon-Romero, Freites Velazquez, Barrios Garcia, Blanco Luciano, Duran Berroteran, Bello Ferrer, Rodriguez-Tapia, Pereda, Zambrano-Pacheco, Prieto Galviz, Bravo-Castro, Maykier Mata, Jaspe Bustamante, and Bello-Chacon face up to life in prison. If convicted of sex trafficking conspiracy, Gonzales-Valdez, Guerrero-Zarate, Valencia-De La Rosa, Mujica-Urpin, Velasquez-Hurtado, Pachon-Romero, Freites Velazquez, Barrios Garcia, Duran Berroteran, Rodriguez-Tapia, Pereda, Zambrano-Pacheco, and Bravo-Castro face up to life in prison. If convicted of alien importation and harboring for immoral purpose – conspiracy, Gonzales-Valdez, Guerrero-Zarate, Valencia-De La Rosa, Mujica-Urpin, Velasquez-Hurtado, Pachon-Romero, Freites Velazquez, Barrios Garcia, Duran Berroteran, Rodriguez-Tapia, Pereda, Zambrano-Pacheco, and Bravo-Castro face up to five years in prison. If convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy, Gonzales-Valdez, Guerrero-Zarate, Mujica-Urpin, Freites Velazquez, Barrios Garcia, Blanco Luciano, Duran Berroteran, Prieto Galviz, Maykier Mata, Jaspe Bustamante, and Bello-Chacon face up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of firearm use, carrying, and possession, Gonzales-Valdez, Guerrero-Zarate, Mujica-Urpin, Freites Velazquez, Barrios Garcia, Blanco Luciano, Zambrano-Pacheco, Prieto Galviz, Maykier Mata, Jaspe Bustamante, and Bello-Chacon face up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. If convicted of obstruction of justice, Velasquez-Hurtado faces up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of unlicensed dealing of firearms, Pachon-Romero faces up to five years in prison. If convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a fugitive from justice and illegal alien, Zambrano-Pacheco, faces up to 15 years in prison. If convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, Bravo-Castro, Avendaño Carrizalez and Santos Mogollonface up to 15 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Attorney General Bondi and Acting U.S. Attorney Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and NYPD. They also thanked the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office in Colorado; the Aurora Police Department in Aurora, Colorado; the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS); the HSI National Gang Unit and New York Human Intelligence Division; ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations New York; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and the New York City Crime Analysis Center at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

This case received significant support from Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), which was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua, and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including the Southern District of New York; the Eastern District of New York; the District of New Jersey; the Northern District of Ohio; the District of Utah; the District of Massachusetts; the Eastern District of Texas; the Southern District of Florida; the Eastern District of Virginia; the Southern District of California; the District of Nevada; the District of Alaska; the Southern District of Texas; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division.  Additionally, the FBI; DEA; HSI; ATF; USMS; and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). In February 2025, Tren de Aragua was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jun Xiang, Kathryn Wheelock, and Timothy Ly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.