UMVA has learned that four members of the notorious Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) have pleaded guilty to the brutal murders of two unarmed American citizens in New York City.
The gang members, who entered the U.S. illegally, allegedly gunned down Claretha LaQuesha Daniels, 44, and Justin Lawless, 36, in the middle of a residential Bronx street, while also shooting and wounding a third victim. This heinous crime has sent shockwaves through the community.
Keiber "Keybe" Jaen Martinez, Samuel "Klei" Gonzalez Castro, Eferson "Jefferson" Morillo-Gomez, and Keineyer "Keiner" Ibarra-Mujica pleaded guilty in federal court to murder through the use of a firearm and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Their guilty pleas bring a measure of justice to the victims' families.
A fifth TdA member recently pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and a gunpoint carjacking, bringing the total number of convicted TdA defendants in the case to eight. This significant development highlights the gang's extensive criminal activities.
Law enforcement officials have described Tren de Aragua as "one of the most vicious gangs on planet earth." They are known for their brutal tactics, including rape, maiming, and murder for sport. Their actions have left a trail of devastation in their wake.
The gang's violent sex trafficking of young women is particularly notorious. TdA members smuggle women into the U.S. and force them into commercial sex work to pay off smuggling debts. The women are subjected to unimaginable horrors, including threats against their families, assault, and kidnapping if they attempt to flee.
The convicts face a maximum sentence of life in prison, a fitting punishment for their heinous crimes. The Justice Department has vowed to destroy the organization, which has rapidly expanded into a transnational terrorist organization operating in cities like New York.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the gang's illicit activities include unlawful human smuggling across the border, armed robberies, and trafficking a ketamine-mixed drug known as "tusi." Their reach is vast, and their crimes have had a profound impact on the community.
The U.S. government has made it clear that Tren de Aragua has "no place and no future in the United States." The Justice Department will stop at nothing to bring the gang's members to justice and dismantle their operations.
