Justice Department unseals multi-state indictments against Tren de Aragua leaders for violent crimes

By Fox News · Fox News

Federal prosecutors on Thursday unsealed sweeping terrorism and racketeering indictments against more than 70 Tren de Aragua (TdA) members — a rapid escalation in President Donald Trump ’s crackdown on a foreign cartel that officials say has driven violence, chaos and transnational crime into the U.S. The gang members are accused of committing violent crimes including murder, extortion, robbery, kidnapping, money laundering and drug trafficking in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico , Texas and New York. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the crackdown reflects the directive she issued at the start of the Trump administration to prioritize dismantling violent transnational groups. "Immediately upon taking office, I directed the Department of Justice to fiercely pursue the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations," she said. "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." HOMELAND SECURITY ANNOUNCES FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND TASK FORCE AIMED AT FIGHTING TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME The Department of Justice (DOJ) said a federal grand jury in Colorado had indicted two alleged TdA leaders on charges including RICO conspiracy. The indictment alleges that the defendants carried out crimes for TdA between May 2024 and March 2025 through a pattern of racketeering that included robbery, extortion, money laundering and drug offenses. The two defendants have also been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and firearms offenses linked to armed heists at two Denver jewelry stores in June 2024. US ACCUSES VENEZUELAN REGIME OF NARCO-TERRORISM OVER ALLIANCES WITH TREN DE ARAGUA, SINALOA CARTEL In Nebraska, a federal grand jury returned two indictments charging 54 individuals, some associated with TdA, with leading and facilitating a scheme to use malwar…