Authorities in Denver said they believe a Venezuelan gang operating in the U.S. is tied to crimes in the city, though law enforcement officials didn't share details of those activities.
The Denver Police Department made the disclosure after Homeland Security investigators in New Mexico arrested an alleged member of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang in connection to a jewelry store heist in Denver that happened in June.
"There are reasons to believe that members of this gang are tied to crimes in the area," a Denver Police Department spokesperson said of the TDA gang. "Confirming gang affiliation is challenging because suspected members of this gang often give false identities during law enforcement contacts and typically do not admit membership to the gang."
In a statement, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's office said it's aware of the issue and is in contact with the police department.
"Protecting the safety of residents and our officers is always our first priority," a spokesperson for the mayor's office said. "The mayor is in close contact with Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas about this topic, and is committed to holding anybody involved in criminal activity accountable."
Booked into the Denver Detention Center on July 29, Jean Torres-Roman, 21, is under investigation for his alleged involvement in the June 24 robbery of Joyeria el Ruby, which is located in northwest Denver.
He is one of eight suspects that police said stole a total $2.5 million worth of jewelry.
Homeland Security agents in Las Cruces arrested Torres-Roman in New Mexico.
In a July 31 post on the social media platform X, Homeland Security Investigations said special agents turned over custody of a Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang member to the sheriff department of the City and County of Denver.
Homeland Security Investigations is part of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is the principal investigative arm for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Tren de Aragua was once a prison gang in Aragua, Venezuela. Federal officials said TDA has quickly expanded into the western hemisphere in recent years.
The gang has a diverse portfolio of criminal activities that includes human trafficking — particularly immigrant women and girls, drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion and money laundering.
The Biden administration last month sanctioned TDA, which is believed to be behind a spree of kidnappings, extortion and other crimes tied to immigrants from South and Central America.
Denver police records show this wasn’t the first jewelry store robbery that Torres-Roman was allegedly involved in.
An arrest warrant affidavit for Torres-Roman said he was involved in a robbery on June 11. Police records also show he had been charged with attempted first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
During the June 11 robbery, Torres-Roman allegedly shot a man in the leg and fled in a vehicle, the affidavit said.
Employees of Joyeria el Ruby said eight men stormed through the back store, injured staff members, and stole jewelry from the cases.
In an interview with The Denver Gazette's news partner, 9News, Joyeria el Ruby owner Lidia Tena said she and her niece were injured in the robbery. She said she was hit in the back of the head.
"My whole head was dripping with blood from the back," Tena said in Spanish. "Same as my niece. She grabbed, I don't know, a napkin, and she would put the napkin on and we would see how it bled, a lot of blood was coming out."
Tena said she feared that moment would be her last.
"In that moment, you think that, if he felt like it, he could pull the trigger and that would be it," Tena said, referring to the suspects.
Denver Gazette news partner, 9News, contributed to this report.
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