Justice Department Files Terrorism Case Against Alleged Tren de Aragua Gang Leader

The Justice Department has charged an alleged high-ranking member of Tren de Aragua (TdA) in Colombia with terrorism offenses, making the first case of its kind against a member of the gang designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration. The case is part of a broader push to target TdA, a Venezuelan gang blamed for drug smuggling and violence in the United States.

TdA leader Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, 24, was charged with drug offenses and conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Prosecutors described him as part of the "inner circle of TdA leadership" and accused him of playing a role in the international distribution of cocaine.

“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. “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.”

F Flores is currently in custody in Colombia awaiting further proceedings. He faces up to life in prison.

The case highlights the Justice Department's application of a criminal statute primarily reserved for extremist groups such as Islamic State and al-Qaida. This underscores the administration's reliance on an expansive definition of terrorism as it pursues a national security agenda focused on drug trafficking and illegal immigration.