The Colorado leader of Tren de Aragua who joined the notorious Aurora apartment siege and introduced the American public to the Venezuelan gang was arrested during a federal immigration raid in New York City, according to a report.
Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security took Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, 25, into custody in the raid on a Bronx apartment building before dawn Tuesday, according to law enforcement officials who spoke with the New York Post.
Authorities said Mr. Pacheco was wanted on charges of burglary, kidnapping and menacing in Colorado. Residents told the Post the suspected gang leader was living in New York since September or October.
Mr. Pacheco was seen in the Aurora apartment takeover last summer where surveillance footage captured armed gang members going door-to-door to expand their criminal enterprise in the suburb east of Denver.
The video caught the attention of the nation, especially after candidate Donald Trump said he would “liberate Aurora” during his lone presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who embedded with agents during the raid, recorded authorities taking a “criminal alien with kidnapping, assault and burglary charges” away in handcuffs.
“Dirtbags like this will continue to be removed from our streets,” she wrote X.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.