September 5th 2024.
The Aurora police department recently released information about the presence of a Venezuelan gang in the city, following a social media uproar surrounding the issue. According to Aurora police spokesman Joe Moylan, they have identified 10 individuals associated with the Tren de Aragua gang who are currently operating in Aurora. Out of these 10, six have been arrested and are now in custody, as confirmed by Moylan in an interview with The Denver Post.
At this time, details about the identities of the 10 individuals and the specific charges against the six arrestees have not been made available. However, it has been reported that some of the arrests are related to a shooting on Nome Street in July, which had been previously brought to the attention of the police.
Moylan clarified that there have been no arrests made in connection to the gang's alleged involvement in collecting rent from residents at three properties owned by CBZ Property Management. These properties have been at the center of the conversation surrounding the Venezuelan gang in Aurora, with the property management company claiming that the poor living conditions were due to criminal activity by Tren de Aragua members.
The company's claim was supported by Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and other city officials, who suggested that the apartment complexes had been taken over by the gang. This narrative was amplified by local and national media, as well as a viral video showing armed men knocking on a door in one of the buildings.
However, some Aurora officials and residents of the properties have disputed this claim, stating that the living conditions were a result of the company's mismanagement rather than an overwhelming gang presence. Interim police chief of Aurora, on the other hand, stated that the gang had not "taken over" one of the complexes.
In a city with a population of about 400,000 people, a study conducted last year revealed the presence of 36 separate gangs with a total of 1,355 members, which accounts for approximately 0.34% of the city's total population. Therefore, the 10 identified individuals linked to Tren de Aragua represent less than 1% of all identified gang members in Aurora. However, Moylan mentioned that this number is expected to increase as the investigations into the gang continue.
Moylan also stated that the police department is still in the process of gathering information about Tren de Aragua, their operations, and how to identify suspected members. He cautioned against trying to quantify the gang's presence in Aurora at this time, as it is still too soon to do so.
The Aurora police have been investigating claims and allegations about gang members collecting rent from residents at the properties, but have not yet found probable cause or made any arrests. Moylan declined to comment on the number of criminal acts connected to Tren de Aragua members that are currently under investigation, citing the ongoing nature of the investigations. He did mention that most of the residents who have made complaints about the gang's activities are migrants living in the buildings.
In the past, the Aurora police have publicly linked only one crime to the Tren de Aragua gang this summer: a shooting on July 28 where two men were shot and a third broke his ankle at an apartment building on Nome Street. One of the suspects in this shooting, 22-year-old Jhonardy Jose Pacheco-Chirinos, is a known member of the gang and was arrested after the incident. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon.
Recently, Aurora police also arrested Pacheco-Chirinos' 24-year-old brother, Jhonnarty Dejesus Pacheco-Chirinos, on attempted murder charges on July 29. Both brothers are documented gang members and are currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Two other individuals with possible ties to Tren de Aragua were also arrested on charges of tampering with evidence in relation to the July 28 shooting. The police have stated that these two suspects are suspected members of the gang.
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