21 ‘Chuco Tango’ gang members arrested in El Paso area

EL PASO, Texas ( KTSM ) – A total of 21 people suspected of being affiliated with the Chuco Tango prison gang were arrested on Thursday, Aug. 29 in and around El Paso, the United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Texas announced in a news release.

The suspects are facing criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and/or the unlawful possession of firearms, according to the news release.

As we previously reported, a heavy law enforcement presence was seen early Thursday morning in Vinton.

A spokesperson with FBI El Paso said they were conducting “court-authorized law enforcement activity” in the area and it was a multi-agency effort.

Federal officials later confirmed in a news conference that a multi-agency takedown took place to target the Chuco Tango gang as part of a large-scale drug trafficking investigation.

The following people were indicted in federal court for various charges that include conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the news release:

1. Clarissa Inez Santana
2. Daniel Baeza aka “Racoon”
3. Hector Chamorro
4. Angel Renee Corral aka “Happy”
5. Antonio “Omar” Gamboa
6. Robert Gurrola aka “Bobby Barker” aka “Bobby Baker”
7. Ricardo Moreno
8. Andrew Solorio aka “Tokes”
9. Adam Vazquez
10. Brandon Garcia
11. Jacqueline Perez
12. Aileen Gonzalez
13. Byanka Sambrano
14. Thomas Payan
15. Steven Kuehn
16. Cassandra Page Silva
17. Tanya Campechano
18. Alejandro Morrill
19. Zoilo Romero
20. Alexander Rangel
21. Zulema Marin

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, according to the news release.

Initial reports suggested that four fugitives remained at-large following Thursday’s operation: Carlos Flores, Jessica Rodarte, Jonathan Blanco and Adriel Belmont.

However, a spokesperson with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said Rodarte has been captured as of Thursday evening.

Tips can be submitted to the DEA by calling (915) 832-6000 or visiting their website https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip or to the FBI at (915) 832-5000.

“The FBI and DEA are investigating the case with valuable support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the El Paso Police Department, the El Paso Sheriff’s Office, the Socorro Police Department, the Horizon Police Department, the El Paso Constables, and the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Tigua Police Department,” read the news release.

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