A man arrested in Colombia is the first to face terrorism charges over his alleged affiliation with Tren de Aragua.
Tren de Aragua is among the gangs labeled as terrorist organizations by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, 24, is allegedly a high-ranking member of TdA.
Colombian officials arrested Martinez Flores on March 31 over the charges from the U.S. military, according to recently unsealed documents. He has not yet been extradited to the United States, but Martinez Flores faces one count of conspiring to provide material support to TdA in the form of personnel and services and one count of providing material support to TdA, according to the Justice Department.
Additionally, the DOJ charged him with one count of international drug distribution conspiracy based on his involvement in the distribution of five kilograms of cocaine and two substantive counts of international drug distribution. These alleged crimes helped “further TdA’s criminal goals,” according to the DOJ.
“TdA is not a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that put down roots in our country during the prior administration,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “Today’s charges represent an inflection point in how this Department of Justice will prosecute and ultimately dismantle this evil organization, which has destroyed American families and poisoned our communities.”
Many other alleged TdA members have ended up in El Salvador’s terrorism confinement center known as the CECOT.
“TdA is a direct threat to our national security, to our communities, and to Americans,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. “Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI continues in our pursuit to eliminate this violent terrorist organization from our streets, and today’s announcement makes it clear that these criminals, especially the leaders of these cartels, have no place in our country.”
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Martinez Flores is facing a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine if convicted, according to the DOJ.
President Donald Trump declared last month that the U.S. is under invasion by the Venezuela-based gang. Trump accused the gang of “conducting irregular warfare” under the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.