The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas charged five members of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) terrorist gang with kidnapping and murder following an investigation that took place in Texas. Three more were indicted in an Illinois kidnapping/murder incident. The TdA gang members entered the U.S. illegally during the Biden border crisis.
Between 2021 and 2024, a group of eight TdA gang members illegally entered the U.S. between ports of entry, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Tren de Aragua is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the eight TdA gang members allegedly “committed horrific crimes, including murdering a father in front of his teenage daughter.”
“This should never have happened in the first place, but under the Biden administration, open-border policies left the doors wide open, and hundreds of suspected and convicted Tren de Aragua terrorists poured into this country,” Blanche stated. “In the 18 months since President Trump stopped this madness, designating Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization, we have charged nearly 350 of its members and associates with egregious violent crimes – murders, sex trafficking, kidnapping – along with weapons and drug trafficking, robbery, and widespread financial crimes.”
In Texas, the U.S. Attorney’s Office obtained a five-count indictment against Hector Asdrubai Garcia Zuniga, a.k.a. “Murry,’ a.k.a. “Munra”; Carlos Luis Zambrano Bolivar; Jhnonny Jexus Martinez Serrano; Jhonathan Hahin Toro Bonzalez; and Ehiker Alexander Morales Mendoza. The indictment accuses the five TdA gang members of engaging in an organized criminal conspiracy (RICO) to commit murder, kidnapping, and bank fraud, according to court documents.
The Texas incident began in August 2024. Three of the defendants allegedly kidnapped a man, his 13-year-old daughter, and his 12-year-old nephew. When extortion demands were not met, the suspects allegedly stopped their vehicle on a Dallas-area bridge and ordered him to jump to his death. When he refused, the kidnappers shot him in the head in front of the two teenagers, prosecutors stated.
An indictment obtained in the Northern District of Illinois alleged that Josue Pacheco Torres, 26, Julian Pachano, 19, and Kleiver Monasterio Briceno, also known as “Goofy,” 20, conspired to kidnap a man in South Chicago in May. The gang members then reportedly forced the victim into a car and drove him to a Chicago apartment. He was later moved to a warehouse in Chicago, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.
The victim’s mother received information about the man’s location and called Chicago police, who entered the building and found the man had been shot multiple times. Authorities say the man was bound with his hands behind his back. In addition to the gunshot wounds, the man had been beaten severely about the head, arms, neck, hands, and torso, court documents stated.
“The complaint against these three TdA members should leave no doubt that the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office is going to aggressively pursue transnational criminal organizations and hold their members and associates accountable for their violent criminal acts,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “We will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of TdA, which very deservedly has been designated by President Trump and his Administration as a terrorist organization. Our shared goal is crystal clear: to disrupt and dismantle TdA and not allow it to gain a foothold in the United States or Chicagoland.
Fox 4 Dallas provided additional information on the five Texas co-conspirators:
- Hector Asdrubal Garcia Zuniga, 36, also known as “Murry” or “Munra,” identified by prosecutors as a regional cell leader who directed the gang’s local affairs, including racketeering, kidnapping, and bank fraud.
- Carlos Luis Zambrano Bolivar, 27, who faces additional specific charges for using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and causing death through the use of a firearm.
- Jhonny Jesus Martinez Serrano, 31, charged alongside Garcia Zuniga and Zambrano Bolivar with murder in aid of racketeering.
- Jhonatan Nahin Toro Gonzalez, 23, charged with racketeering conspiracy and kidnapping in aid of racketeering.
- Ehiker Alexander Morales Mendoza, 39, also known as “El Ingeniero” or “El Negro,” charged with racketeering conspiracy and kidnapping in aid of racketeering.
“On this 250th anniversary of the birth of our great nation, I am reminded of how lucky we are to enjoy the many freedoms that our country provides. Which is why, as U.S. Attorney, I am laser-focused on ensuring that North Texans can enjoy freedom and safety in all our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “This indictment of TdA gang members is a significant step to ensure that this dangerous transnational gang does not oppress, intimidate or harm our fellow North Texans. Let this serve as a warning to all TdA members: you will not gain a stronghold in the Northern District of Texas.”
ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) acting Executive Associate Director John Condon added, “This indictment is a testament to the dedication of our agents and the strength of our partnership through the Homeland Security Task Force. By working closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement, HSI continues to disrupt violent criminal organizations and protect communities across the United States.”
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.