Prosecutors have revealed federal terrorism positions aimed at an alleged “high -ranking” member of the Venezuelan Train of Aragua gang that was arrested in Colombia at the end of last month, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
José Enrique Martínez Flores, also known as “Chuqui”, is the first alleged member of TDA to be accused of terrorist crimes from the statement of President Donald Trump who designates the gang as a terrorist organization.
The accusation documents describe Flores as a “high -ranking TDA leader” in Bogotá, Colombia, who supposedly helped deliver approximately five kilos of cocaine for international distribution, which prosecutors said it was “used to promote criminal objectives of ADD.”
He was arrested in Colombia on March 31 in accordance with an arrest warrant of the United States, although the department could not immediately say when, or if, ultimately, he will be extradited to the United States.
The seal of the Federal Research Office (FBI) in the Federal Research Office building (FBI) by J. Edgar Hoover in Washington, DC, March 10, 2025.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP through Getty Images
“TDA is not a street gang: it is a highly structured terrorist organization that threw roots in our country during the previous administration,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in the press release of the Department of Justice. “Today’s positions represent a turning point in how this justice department will process and finally dismantle this evil organization, which has destroyed US families and poisoned our communities.”
Flores is in charge of a conspiracy charge to provide material support to ADD in the form of personnel (including himself) and a position to provide material support to ADD. The accusation also alleges a position of international drug distribution conspiracy based on its participation in the distribution of five kilograms of cocaine or more, and two substantive positions of international drug distribution, according to the statement.
If it is declared guilty, it faces a maximum perpetual chain fine and a fine of $ 10 million, according to the Department of Justice.
“ADD is a direct threat to our national security, for our communities and for Americans,” said FBI director Kash Patel in the statement. “Together with our law partners, the FBI continues in our search to eliminate this violent terrorist organization of our streets, and today’s announcement makes it clear that these criminals, especially the leaders of these posters, do not take place in our country.”
However, extradict Flores to the US. To spend time behind bars, it would seem to contradict the arguments that officials have made in court in recent weeks in defense of their hurried deportations of alleged members of TDA with El Salvador under the law of alien enemies.
DOJ officials have argued that the presence of such alleged gang members could lead to more dangerous conditions in prisons, while discarding criticism that men should have been due process before being sent to the notorious CECOT installation.
