DOJ charges eight alleged Tren de Aragua members in Texas and Illinois
DOJ announced July 2 that federal prosecutors in Chicago and North Texas charged eight alleged Tren de Aragua members in two cases filed June 29–30.
The Justice Department on July 2 announced two related federal cases in Chicago and North Texas that together charge eight alleged members of Tren de Aragua with kidnapping, murder, racketeering, and firearms offenses.
As with any criminal case, these are allegations, not proof. The filings’ dates—June 29 in Illinois and June 30 in Texas—mark the newest federal steps, not a verdict.
Chicago case: kidnapping resulting in death
In the Northern District of Illinois, a criminal complaint filed June 29 charges three defendants: Josue Pacheco Torres, Julian Pachano, and Kleiver Monasterio Briceno. The complaint alleges a kidnapping conspiracy and that the kidnapping resulted in death, tied to a killing in Chicago.
DOJ also says the defendants are believed to be Venezuelan nationals who entered the United States between December 2021 and April 2024.
North Texas case: racketeering and violent-crime counts
In the Northern District of Texas, a grand jury returned an indictment on June 30 against five alleged Tren de Aragua members: Hector Asdrubal Garcia Zuniga, Carlos Luis Zambrano Bolivar, Jhonny Jesus Martinez Serrano, Jhonatan Nahin Toro Gonzalez, and Ehiker Alexander Morales Mendoza.
DOJ says the indictment includes racketeering conspiracy involving allegations of murder, kidnapping, robbery, and bank fraud. The government also alleges kidnapping in aid of racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering. DOJ further says at least one defendant faces an additional firearms-related count.
What the department says this is part of
DOJ says both cases are tied to Homeland Security Task Force work and Joint Task Force Vulcan efforts aimed at violent transnational crime.
For readers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: this is a fresh charging update showing how prosecutors are bundling violent-crime, gang, immigration, and firearms allegations into separate federal actions across two districts.
Next steps to watch include detention hearings, arraignments, and what evidence prosecutors cite as the cases proceed.
Sources
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