AURORA, Colo. — Aurora police on Wednesday released the identities of 10 documented members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua operating in the city.
Nine of those individuals had been arrested in connection to a variety of incidents spanning the last 10 months, according to police.
Among them are two men previously named as suspects in a July 28 shooting at the Fitzsimons Place apartment complex at 1568 Nome Street – Jhonardy Jose Pacheco-Chirinos, 22, and Jhonnarty Dejesus Pacheco-Chirinos, 24.
Other documented members include: Larry Medina, 29; Luis Miguel Calzadilla-Rojas, 32; Yorman Camilo Sangronis-Garcia, 26; Yoendry Vilchez Medina-Jose, 33; Juan Carlos Mejia-Espana, 33; Carlos Aranguren-Mayora, 23; Roiberth Daniel Mora-Marquez, 23; and Jose Miguel Reyes-Perez, 30.
The nine people arrested face a slew of charges ranging from felony menacing to child abuse and attempted first-degree murder. The alleged incidents date back to a Nov. 30 assault at the Fitzsimons Place apartments, with the most recent arrest (Medina-Jose) stemming from that incident and taking place Aug. 5.
Aranguren-Mayora faces 38 charges stemming from five different cases dating back to last December.
Sangronis-Garcia was contacted by police after a February hit-and-run crash but was not arrested.
Aurora
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You can read more about each case and the charges against the nine arrestees near the bottom of this page.
The list released Wednesday did not include 20-year-old Dixon Azuaje-Perez or 19-year-old Nixon Azuaje-Perez, who were previously arrested for allegedly tampering with evidence in connection to the July 28 shooting and had “suspected” TdA ties, according to police.
Tren de Aragua’s presence in Aurora has been the subject of national attention since out-of-state landlords claimed in August that a set of apartment buildings it managed had been taken over by Venezuelan gangs.
Online rumors of a takeover were fueled by a video that gained viral attention showing armed men knocking on a door of the Edge at Lowry complex. The individuals in that video have not been confirmed as members of TdA, and claims of buildings being taken over have been refuted by residents and city officials.
The narrative was thrust into the national spotlight again Tuesday night when former President Donald Trump made apparent reference to gang activity in Aurora during the first presidential debate. Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, who at one point insinuated apartment buildings were being taken over by gangs but has since walked back that stance, said in an interview with Denver7 Wednesday that Trump’s remarks were “dramatically exaggerated.”
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