Aurora police arrested ten members of the Tren de Aragua gang after reports of a violent apartment takeover surfaced earlier this week. The gang, composed primarily of illegal immigrants from Venezuela, had taken control of an apartment building, extorting rent from residents and occupying vacant units.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Council Member Danielle Jurinsky announced that local law enforcement, with assistance from a new joint task force, had arrested the gang members. The gang’s growing presence in the city has raised alarm, with authorities confirming that eight of the ten arrested are members of Tren de Aragua.
Charges against the gang members include child abuse, illegal firearm use, and attempted first-degree murder. Two of the individuals arrested were tied to a shooting in July that took place at one of the properties the gang had seized.
The task force, composed of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, has been focusing on cracking down on the gang’s influence. Aurora officials are concerned about the spread of the gang’s activities into neighboring areas like Arapahoe County and Denver.
The arrests are expected to be the first of many as law enforcement officials continue their efforts to dismantle the criminal network operating in and around Aurora.
