Report: Alleged takeover of Aurora, Colorado apartments by Venezuelan gang started in 2023.
Aurora, Colorado leaders received an investigative report from Denver's Perkins Coie law firm regarding alleged gang activity.
Last year, a transnational gang from Venezuela reportedly seized control of an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, according to a local report.
In 2023, the Tren de Aragua gang seized control of the Whispering Pines Apartments, committing violent assaults, making murder threats, extorting residents, and engaging in child prostitution through strongarm tactics, according to a nine-page report from Denver law firm Perkins Coie, which was obtained by CBS News Colorado.
The apartment building takeover allegations led to the firm's hiring to investigate, and they interviewed witnesses and reviewed video footage before releasing their report.
According to T. Markus Funk, a former U.S. Attorney, gang members are committing numerous criminal activities, including trespass violations, assaults and battery, human trafficking, and sexual abuse of minors, while also possessing unlawful firearms and engaging in extortion. These criminal activities often target vulnerable populations, particularly Venezuelan and other immigrant communities.
The property manager of the apartment complex stated that he had never witnessed anything similar to the Tren De Aragua takeover of Whispering Pines during his entire career.
The property manager, with 15 years of experience, informed the firm that two gang members were arrested for attempting to murder him due to a late rent payment.
The report stated that in June, the gang approached the property manager with an offer to assist him if he paid them 50% of the rent collected, while also detailing how they were collecting "rent" from residents and allegedly stabbing one individual for not paying.
"The gang member allegedly informed the housekeeper that their business plan was "this" and if the property manager did not approve of it, they would be filled with bullets."
The property manager of the apartment complex revealed to investigators that vacant units were used to host "parties" where the gang provided "drugs and child prostitution," with minors being a "good source of money."
In recent days, intense scrutiny has been directed towards at least two apartment complexes in Aurora due to alleged gang activity, following the viral spread of a surveillance video depicting heavily armed men kicking down an apartment door.
The Tren de Aragua, with its base primarily in Venezuela, boasts approximately 5,000 members spread across both South America and the United States.
The Aurora Police Department denied that Tren de Aragua gang members had seized control of The Edge at Lowry complex, but acknowledged their awareness of the gang's alleged criminal activities in the area.
In August, a special task force was established by the department to combat the presence of Tren de Aragua.
On Wednesday, police released the identities of two known Tren de Aragua gang members and two suspected members who were apprehended in July for attempted murder.
Aurora citizens deserve to feel safe!
Planet Chronicle Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
us
You might also like
- Stunning images depict Colorado plane crash on golf course
- Family claims that an Indiana toddler died after consuming a pill found in a thrift store backpack.
- A Maine man was detained by jurors after trying to escape from the courthouse in handcuffs following his conviction.
- College leaders in the Universities of Wisconsin are now required to maintain neutrality on contentious matters.
- Officials report that a river otter attacked a mother and her child in Washington state, dragging the young child underwater.