Illegal aliens bust out of Colorado detention center — local authorities 'declined to assist' manhunt: ICE



Two illegal aliens busted out of a Colorado detention center on Tuesday, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The escape was reportedly the result of a power outage at the facility that caused the back doors to unlock.

Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 32, and Geilond Vido-Romero, 24, reportedly fled from the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora sometime after 2 p.m. on Tuesday — the last facility-wide headcount at which they were confirmed present.

'If they were being held on criminal detainers, we would be able to get involved and start a fugitive roundup.'

Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky told KDVR that the ICE detention center experienced a power outage at about 9:30 p.m., causing a door leading out to the soccer facility to unlock.

When ICE agents conducted an emergency count at midnight, they soon realized that Gonzalez-Gonzalez and Vido-Romero had apparently broken out.

ICE released a statement about the incident, claiming that local authorities had refused to help the federal agency with its ongoing manhunt.

"Two detainees escaped March 18 from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Denver Contract Detention Facility, in Aurora, Colorado. Local authorities were notified immediately and declined to assist with the search. ICE also notified additional state and federal law enforcement partners," an ICE spokesperson said.///

The agency stated that Gonzalez-Gonzalez entered the U.S. in February 2013 through the El Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas, but he violated his admission conditions. ICE issued a detainer request after his detention in Adams County Jail in Brighton on local charges. On February 12, ICE arrested Gonzalez-Gonzalez and held him at the Aurora detention facility pending immigration proceedings.

Vido-Romero reportedly entered the U.S. near El Paso, Texas, in December 2023. ICE issued a detainer after his detention in Douglas County Jail in Castle Rock on local charges. An immigration judge previously ordered his return to Venezuela. ICE held him at the detention center pending his deportation.

According to the Aurora Police Department, it was not notified until roughly 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday about the men's escape.

"We received late notification about the incident, and upon response, learned the event occurred several hours prior," the department told KDVR. "The Aurora Police Department is available to assist our federal partners with active public safety emergencies. As a municipal law enforcement agency, we do not enforce federal immigration law and cannot participate in large-scale searches or follow-ups."

Aurora Police Public Information Officer Joe Moylan told Fox News Digital that Aurora police are willing to "assist with the apprehension" if the escapees are still in the city.

"This was a cold event from the time we were notified about it," Moylan stated. "We are working with our federal partners to determine if the escapees have any connection to the city of Aurora. When the time comes that warrants are active and information is confirmed that these men are in Aurora, we will assist with the apprehension."

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation stated that they were not notified about the escaped detainees. The Adams County Sheriff's Office said that it did not receive a request to assist ICE.

The Colorado governor's office told KDVR, "The State was asked to issue a 'be on the lookout' (BOLO) notice to law enforcement and sent out the standard notice. ICE has not asked for any additional assistance from the State. We continue to urge ICE to be transparent with the State and the public about this incident as it develops including whether any escapees are a danger to the public."

Jurinsky told the news outlet that she took "great offense" to ICE's claims that Aurora officials refused to help with the manhunt.

"To the people of Aurora, there is a state law here that supersedes the jurisdiction of the Aurora Police Department, ICE knows that," Jurinsky stated. "It's not a fair statement to say that we refused to get involved. This is completely on ICE."

"We've taken great pride in the strides that we have made to getting back to fighting crime in this city, and that starts with the police chief that we hired, Todd Chamberlain," she added.

Jurinsky noted that ICE has not made it clear whether the two illegal aliens are being held on civil or criminal detainers.

"From what I understand, they are not being held on criminal detainers," she said. "If they were being held on criminal detainers, we would be able to get involved and start a fugitive roundup."

Blaze News contacted ICE for a response to Jurinsky's and local authorities' claims; however, the agency did not reply to any specific questions, providing only the same previously issued statement.

"The aliens are still at large and the search is ongoing," ICE stated.

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BlazeTV's Sara Gonzales unloads on FBI agent who reportedly leaked ICE raid info: 'They will be prosecuted'



Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and border czar Tom Homan have accused someone within the FBI of leaking information about upcoming Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.

BlazeTV’s Sara Gonzales detailed the leaker claims during Tuesday's episode of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.”

On Sunday, Noem said, “The FBI is so corrupt. We will work with any and every agency to stop leaks and prosecute these crooked deep state agents to the fullest extent of the law.”

Homan repeated similar claims on Monday, stating that “some of the information we are receiving tends to lead toward the FBI.”

“We are sending a strong message — [the leaks are] just giving the bad guys a heads-up so they can escape apprehension,” he said. “You’re putting officers’ lives at risk.”

He noted that Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove’s office believes it has identified the source of the leaks.

'This person should be prosecuted.'

Homan said he has been “promised not only will this person lose their job and pension, but they will go to jail.”

The leaked information sabotaged multiple ICE raids, including one in Aurora, Colorado, last week.

The federal immigration agency had aimed to detain more than 100 illegal aliens but captured 30. While the operation was primarily conducted to target Tren de Aragua gang members, information about the raids leaked to the Aurora community ahead of time, and only one gang member was arrested.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News, “If anyone leaks anything, people don’t understand, that jeopardizes the lives of our great men and women in law enforcement. And if you leaked it, we will find out who you are, and we will come after you.”

Gonzales reacted to Bondi’s statements.

Referring to the leaker, Gonzales said, “This person should be prosecuted. This is criminal. This person should go to prison. And it sounds like [President] Donald Trump has put the right people into place that once they do find who this person is — and I believe they will — they will be. They will be prosecuted.”

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Homan vows prosecution after leak helps Tren de Aragua gang evade ICE raids



Border czar Tom Homan revealed Thursday that someone tried to sabotage Immigration and Customs Enforcement's planned raids in Aurora, Colorado.

ICE conducted operations in Aurora on Wednesday, prioritizing the detainment of Tren de Aragua gang members and criminal illegal aliens.

'TDA is going to be eradicated from this country. I will not rest until every one of them are in prison or in GITMO.'

Aurora was thrust into the center of the nation's immigration debate when reports surfaced last year that the violent Venezuelan gang had taken over several apartment complexes. While Aurora is not a sanctuary city, it has been grappling with the fallout of Colorado's and Denver's sanctuary policies that act as a magnet for illegal aliens.

ICE aimed to arrest more than 100 illegal aliens during this week's raids but captured 30 — only one of whom was a TDA gang member.

Homan told Fox News' Harris Faulkner that the sweeps were less successful than the agency had hoped because someone leaked details of the planned raids to the community ahead of time.

When federal immigration agents arrived at various apartment complexes known for being taken over by TDA gang members, officers found that many of the residences had been cleared out.

Homan explained that he has "already identified" how the ICE operation in Aurora was leaked to the community, noting that he plans to address the situation immediately.

He stated that it has been a top priority to be transparent with the American public about the mass deportation efforts. However, Homan indicated he may no longer allow media outlets to join the ICE raids.

"It's obvious we can't be having all these different news outlets out there with us on various raids," Homan said.

Faulkner also asked Homan about a group of protesters who lined the streets where the raids were conducted and used megaphones to give illegal aliens instructions on how to evade ICE agents.

According to Fox News, one protester shouted, "You dumb a*******! What the f**k is wrong with you? Get out of our community!"

Another activist yelled in Spanish, "Please remain silent!"

"Don't open the door," the activist added.

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks also told Fox News that there were leaks regarding the raids, specifically that a local media outlet tipped off activists. He said they would consider a media blackout, if necessary.

Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky told Blaze News she has "no direct knowledge" of the ICE raids being leaked to the community.

"We have some activist groups that are going around and moving migrants around and telling them not to answer their doors," Jurinsky told "America's Newsroom" on Thursday.

Homan stated that he is working with the Department of Justice to determine when activist groups "cross the line" from protesting to impeding federal law enforcement operations. He vowed to use the DOJ to prosecute those who obstruct ICE's efforts.

"They may find themselves in a pair of handcuffs very soon," he told Faulkner. "We're not going to tolerate it any more. This is not a game. When we show up at these sites, this is a dangerous job for the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol and all the DOJ agencies."

"To have this type of interference puts our officers at great risk. Not only the officers; it puts the aliens at great risk," he added.

"We will seek prosecution," Homan declared. "TDA is going to be eradicated from this country. I will not rest until every one of them are in prison or in GITMO."

He noted that ICE has already arrested roughly 12,000 illegal aliens since President Donald Trump took office less than a month ago.

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Trump's first NYC ICE raids snag Tren de Aragua gang leader tied to viral Colorado apartment incident



President Donald Trump's Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched its first raids in New York early Tuesday morning, resulting in the arrest of a notorious gang leader and other violent illegal alien criminals.

Police sources told the New York Post that ICE's first arrests involved individuals with warrants for crimes including burglary, menacing, kidnapping, extortion, and other violent offenses.

'We are getting the dirtbags off these streets.'

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News that the early morning raids targeted "murderers, kidnappers, and individuals charged of assault and burglary."

One of the individuals apprehended by ICE was a Dominican national wanted for a double homicide in his home country.

Federal immigration agents also arrested 25-year-old Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, a Tren de Aragua ringleader tied to a viral surveillance video from August that captured armed suspected gang members storming through an Aurora, Colorado, apartment complex.

Zambrano-Pacheco was arrested by DEA agents and Department of Homeland Security officers at the apartment complex in the Bronx early Tuesday morning. He faces kidnapping, burglary, and menacing charges.

New DHS Secretary Kristi Noem joined ICE during its first New York City raids this week.

"We're here in New York City this morning. We are getting the dirtbags off these streets," she stated.

Noem posted a video on social media showing law enforcement officials arresting a "criminal alien with kidnapping, assault & burglary charges."

"We are doing this right — doing exactly what President @realDonaldTrump promised the American people — making our streets safe," she wrote.

The Post reported that the New York Police Department issued an internal memo reminding officers that they may partner with federal immigration officials regarding criminal investigations but that the city's sanctuary laws prevent them from aiding in deportation efforts.

ICE reported that on January 27, it arrested 1,179 and lodged 853 detainers. The following day, it made another 969 arrests and filed 869 detainer requests.

Border czar Tom Homan has stated that ICE is prioritizing the arrest of safety threats but noted that anyone in the country illegally is "on the table" for deportation.

Homan told ABC News, "You're going to see the numbers steadily increase, the number of arrests nationwide, as we open up the aperture."

"Right now, it's concentrating on public safety threats [and] national security threats. That's a smaller population," he continued. "So we're going to do this on a priority [basis], that's President Trump's promise. But as that aperture opens, there'll be more arrests nationwide."

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Aurora to close notorious apartment tied to Venezuelan gang, despite officials repeatedly denying takeovers



Despite repeatedly denying that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has established a significant stronghold in Aurora, Colorado, city officials are now ordering the closure of a notorious apartment complex linked to the violent group, citing ongoing criminal activity.

Five Dallas Partners and its parent company, CBZ Management, received an order from a judge last week to shut down the Edge at Lowry apartment complex.

'An incredibly problematic complex.'

The order, requested by the city, follows several violent incidents that occurred at the property, including "an armed home invasion involving a stabbing and kidnapping."

City officials argued that the complex has become "an epicenter for unmitigated violent crimes and property crimes," citing 60 criminal incidents since September 2023.

The complex was thrown into the center of the nation's immigration debate in August after a former tenant released a surveillance video showing a group of armed men storming through the property. Another video captured by the tenant showed a man destroying the deadbolt lock on an apartment unit.

Residents have insisted that TDA has taken over the apartment and other complexes in the Aurora area, but local officials have repeatedly denied or downplayed the gang's influence.

One of the men seen in the surveillance footage was later arrested and admitted to being a TDA gang member.

However, Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain initially reported that the department's investigation found no gang ties.

"There's a lot of limitations, a lot of rules, a lot of regulations that relate to identifying someone as a specific gang member or an affiliate of a gang," Chamberlain said at the time. "Many of these individuals we're talking about come from a country which does not have a strong relationship with the United States, come from a country that does not have a database that they are going to share."

During a Monday press conference, city officials detailed their plan to close down the Edge at Lowry.

Chamberlain pointed the blame at the property's owner for the criminal activity.

"This place is not going to get any better. This place is basically a cancer to the community," he said. "And we as a group of stakeholders, as community members, as law enforcement, as the city family, decided this is not going to be tolerated in Aurora."

"The problem is a mismanaged location that allowed this crime to flourish," Chamberlain declared. "As everybody here knows and as the nation knows, this complex is an incredibly problematic complex."

City attorney Pete Schulte provided details on Aurora's closure order.

"We wanted to have the defendants, Five Dallas Partners LLC, have an opportunity to file an answer in this case, which they did on Dec. 30, and as we alluded to in the hearing today, that came out as what we call a 'general denial,' which means the defendants are going to require the city, as the plaintiff to prove each and every one of our complaints that we filed in the petition before this property can be closed," Schulte said.

On December 27, the city filed an emergency petition over the kidnapping incident that occurred earlier that month.

"The police department felt like they really needed to get (the complex) under control, to get a hold of that property because it is being completely unmanaged," Schulte added.

A judge granted the city's emergency closure order on January 10.

The owner's lawyer, Stan Garnett, stated that he is not permitted to comment on the city's order, the Sentinel Colorado reported.

The city previously closed a different CBZ Management property and is reportedly targeting another, according to the news outlet.

CBZ Management has blamed the government for allowing TDA to gain a foothold in the U.S.

The company wrote in November, "We were the 'Canary in the coal mine.' Unfortunately, the priority of government officials was to cover up this inconvenient story. And the priority of many in the media — and Biden-Harris supporters — was to deny any story that could damage their candidate."

"Despite clear evidence, many still deny the reality of the situation, sometimes using us as scapegoats," the company wrote in an October post on X. "Yes, gangs did take control of our apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado, and the government did nothing. That is the real story."

CBZ Management told Blaze News, "Due to ongoing litigation, we cannot comment right now."

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Aurora police detain 14 at apartment complex linked to viral video of alleged Tren de Aragua gang takeover



Police in Aurora, Colorado, detained 14 people Tuesday at the Edge at Lowry Apartments, a complex at the center of the nation's immigration debate.

Police were called to the apartment complex just before 2:30 a.m. following reports of "an armed home invasion involving a stabbing and kidnapping."

'DEPORT these criminals now!'

According to authorities, an unspecified number of suspects entered an apartment occupied by two individuals. The victims allegedly were threatened, bound, and moved to another apartment in the complex.

During the incident, one adult male suffered a stab wound, which police noted was non-life-threatening.

"After some time, the victims were released by the suspects, at which point they called 911. Multiple Aurora police patrol units responded to the scene. Fourteen people have been detained and are being questioned by investigators," the APD said.

The department indicated that it's in the "very early stages of the investigation" and will share additional updates as more information comes to light.

— (@)

In August, residents at the apartment complex reported that the violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, had taken it over.

A couple living in the complex at the time captured a video of a group of armed men storming through the building. Another video taken by the couple showed a man using a hammer to break the deadbolt lock on an apartment door.

Local officials have repeatedly denied that Tren de Aragua has gained a stronghold in the area, despite residents and the property owner insisting the gang has taken over multiple apartment buildings.

One of the men reportedly caught on the surveillance footage admitted to authorities that he was a Tren de Aragua gang member. Two men seen in the video have been arrested, but three others remain at large.

Aurora police haven't said whether any of the 14 individuals detained Tuesday have ties to the gang.

Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky stated in a post on X that "the lawlessness must end! These are not all peaceful migrants looking for a better life."

"I will speak again to the human suffering that has been allowed with wide open borders, allowing possible (actual) asylum seekers to come into our country followed by the very people who were terrorizing them," Jurinsky continued. "APD won't give their names and most likely won't tie any of them to Tren de Aragua. It's okay if they don't. I believe at this point I have made my case. DEPORT these criminals now!"

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Cover-up? What Aurora officials already knew about rising Venezuelan gang violence



City officials in Aurora, Colorado, repeatedly denied the growing threat of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua despite apparent early warnings, according to emails obtained by Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky.

In a Wednesday post on X, Jurinsky shared an internal Aurora Police Department email dated November 16, 2023, from Gang Intervention Unit Officer Matthew Walters to Chief of Police Chris Poppe and several other colleagues.

'The liberal media and some politicians want you to believe that it is okay for people to live like this because it's just a handful of apartment complexes and not the entire city of Aurora.'

Walters explained that he had attached a "Gang Unit Bulletin" on TDA, which he planned to share with the entire department the following day. He noted that the announcement included information provided to him by a Homeland Security Investigations sergeant and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, according to a photo of the email.

The ICE officer "stated TdA has decided to make Denver their headquarters due to sanctuary policies and location," Walters apparently wrote.

Poppe replied, asking Walters, "Is there any Aurora-centric info that could be included in the bulletin? Known addresses, or hangouts, or specifics cops should be aware of?"

In another X post, Jurinsky leaked a June 30 department email regarding an incident at Whispering Pines Apartments, owned by CBZ Management. According to the correspondence, a cleaning crew worker reported being "threatened ... to give up the keys to the vacant apartments … so that a group of Venezuelans could move people into" the complex.

"Suspects left but not before warning her to comply or else they would kill her and her family," the email continued, according to the photo.

The suspects reportedly stated that they had the building "under surveillance and that they had over 200 people working for them."

"I would highly recommend you guys to take 2-3 friends with you when responding to any calls there," the department email added.

In an email, Major Crime Homicide Unit Sergeant Jeff Longnecker stated, "I would be happy to go over this case with anyone that still denies this is a major problem."

Longnecker was referring to a murder, but it is not clear from the email which case precisely.

He expressed frustration that multiple agencies appeared to have opened criminal investigations into TDA, but "nobody seems to be able to work with each other."

"As soon as this group kills an innocent person all hell is going to break lose and I would hate for us all to be exposed for not sharing information with each other and/or not being able to show that we have dedicated proactive units and investigative units directly impacting this problem," Longnecker wrote.

Jurinsky torched some city leaders for downplaying the severity of the situation.

In a separate post on X, she stated, "The liberal media and some politicians want you to believe that it is okay for people to live like this because it's just a handful of apartment complexes and not the entire city of Aurora. I ask again what the threshold is for these 'leaders' to care?"

CBZ Management wrote in a post on social media this week, "The police knew about the TDA gangs taking over our properties - as early as Sept 22, 2023 - and didn't warn us! Worse, they put the onus of security on our employees without us knowing the danger!"

The company shared another leaked internal department email dated September 2023, with the subject line "Tren de Aragua."

"According to interviews from residence [sic] Tren de Aragua is working out of Aurora and residing in our city," the sergeant's email apparently read.

Ryan Luby, a city of Aurora spokesperson, told the Denver Gazette, "We must remember that police departments and the justice system as a whole must rely on admissible evidence, not hearsay, rumors and fragments of information."

"Contrary to claims made on social media and by select news organizations, the city, including APD, has remained consistent in responses on this matter," Luby wrote in a Thursday statement to the news outlet.

Luby also pushed back on CBZ Management, telling the Denver Gazette, "Instead of expending the resources to address the documented issues, CBZ and its stakeholders have hired a team of attorneys and, as we learned today, a Florida-based public relations firm to engage in diversionary tactics, fight the city in its city charter-mandated duties to enforce city code, and alternative narratives with many of you."

Governor Jared Polis' office told the news outlet that the governor's office is "committed to supporting local law enforcement and their work to keep our communities safe."

Polis previously called TDA's takeover of apartment complexes "largely a feature of Danielle Jurinsky's imagination."

"The state was first notified by Homeland Security in late July that they were monitoring activity in Aurora, the state then immediately reached out to the city of Aurora, including the Governor reaching out to the Mayor, to offer any assistance needed," the governor's office told the Denver Gazette. "When Governor Polis met with Mayor Coffman in late July, we were informed that the city did not have a strong criminal case yet and the state offered dedicated investigative support in the form of Troopers and CBI agents to work cases, and DHSEM provided analysts to support investigations to identify and arrest known criminal gang elements."

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Sabo sentenced! America's best street artist needs our support



Aurora, Colorado, has finally started cracking down on crime.

No, not the violent Venezuelan gangs taking over apartment complexes, terrorizing tenants, and beating property managers to a bloody pulp.

'My wife is a migrant. I must have paid over $10,000 to get her here legally. ... I ... don’t have a problem with immigration; I have a problem with unchecked illegal immigration.'

We're sure Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser will get to that eventually.

In the meantime, the intrepid lawman has cracked the case of his career: nabbing the maniac behind the street art protesting the town's mass immigration-induced mayhem.

That's right: After two decades of risking life, limb, and liberty to bring truly provocative and countercultural art to the public, Sabo has been busted.

As the Gateway Pundit's Patty McMurray reports, the formally trained former Marine was hauled before a judge last week for sentencing.

Unable to afford a lawyer and unwilling to trust one supplied by the state, the based Banksy represented himself — offering this stirring statement to judge deciding his fate:

My wife is a migrant. I must have paid over $10,000 to get her here legally. I paid for expensive biometric scans twice, a health screening, background check. Documents had to be signed stating that she would not be a burden to the taxpayers. She’s never spent a day worried about having a roof over her head or where our next meal was coming from, this because we did it the right way. I, like most, don’t have a problem with immigration; I have a problem with unchecked illegal immigration.

I’m a self-employed artist who’s educated at one of the top art colleges in the world. I know my country; I speak its language. I’m familiar with the marketplace of my chosen profession, and with all this, I can no longer afford to live in my own country. How do these migrants have any hope to to make it here, at least not without financially bankrupting our communities while at the same time overlooking America’s forgotten poor, including veterans who live out on the street?

These newcomers, some of whom are extremely violent, are always dumped in underrepresented communities, making an already bad situation worse. Last winter, tens of thousands of improperly vetted migrants, many illegally in the country, were dropped off in Denver in -12 degree weather. Many forced to brave the cold in tents. It was reported that some were forced to prostitute their wives, daughters, and girlfriends simply to keep from starving or freezing to death. Politicians from both sides of the political aisle should be ashamed of themselves for what they put the poorest from around the world through by conning them to come here — especially in the middle of winter.

I pray we still have a First Amendment to help protect political art, which is its intended purpose. Nothing was destroyed or permanently damaged, except maybe for the feelings of some local politicians for pointing out the mess they’ve made of things.

Now Sabo must pay a fine and perform community service — all while continuing to support himself and his work on a shoestring budget.

In an email to Align, Sabo emphasized that he's not the only one sticking his neck out to spread the truth.

"My main assistant is about to pull the plug on his mother, and I'd like to spend some time with him as well," he writes. "And I'm not rich, so this would help. That guy has [done more to help] us putting up art than anyone I know."

In other words, if you're already a Sabo fan, now would be a good time to express your support.

Go to his website and buy some original art — perhaps his new Vote Wisely poster. Or contribute to the GiveSendGo he's set up to help pay his legal fees.

And if you're not a Sabo fan yet, check out Align's coverage of his previous missions here.

Aurora apartment owner confirms Venezuelan gang takeovers — releases shocking evidence of bloody assault



CBZ Management, a company that owns a number of apartment complexes in Colorado, broke its silence on Friday, confirming that the vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has taken over several properties.

The company started an account on X to share its side of the story after many local officials and the media reported that the claims of TDA's takeover were overblown.

'Yes, gangs did take control of our apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado, and the government did nothing. That is the real story.'

Rumors of the transnational gang's expanded presence in the area became seemingly undeniable in late August when Cindy Romero, a former tenant at the Edge at Lowry, a property owned by CBZ, released a video showing a group of armed men storming through the complex, Blaze News previously reported. Another video the then-tenant captured showed a man using a hammer to destroy the deadbolt lock on the same apartment unit.

Cindy Romero and her husband, Edward, were desperate to leave the complex, saying it had become "a nightmare" since the gang had moved in. Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky ultimately helped find the Romeros another place to live.

At the time, Jurinksy told Fox News Digital that it was "like pulling teeth to get anyone, the media, other elected officials ... to acknowledge the presence of this trend and to acknowledge that there is even a problem."

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) called the TDA invasion "largely a feature of Danielle Jurinsky's imagination."

CBZ explained that it had begun managing the Colorado properties in 2019, and, at that time, the apartments "were in poor condition." The company aimed to renovate the complexes and increase their value, noting that the project was "ambitious" and would "take years" to complete.

"Everything was progressing smoothly: property values were rising, and vacancy rates were dropping. It was a win-win for both the owners and the city of Aurora," CBZ wrote in a lengthy thread on X. "Then, the gangs arrived."

In 2023, one of CBZ's representatives was viciously attacked when he attempted to perform an inspection at one of the properties, the company stated. When he arrived, he found "a group of men" inside a three-bedroom apartment that should have been vacated.

"When he refused their $500 bribe to overlook the situation, they brutally attacked him," CBZ wrote.

The company released a short surveillance video of the attack and a photograph taken shortly afterward showing the victim's injuries. In the picture, the representative's face and shirt were covered in blood, and he appeared to have bruising around his eye.

Unfortunately, it did not end there for the CBZ representative, the company said.

"After the attack on our CBZ representative, he began getting threatening text messages," the company continued. "These criminals revealed his home address and his spouse's name."

According to CBZ, law enforcement officials confirmed that those sending the messages and occupying the complexes were TDA members.

"They also mentioned that our situation was just 'a blip on the radar,' as this gang is causing significant problems nationwide," CBZ said.

After effectively taking over three complexes, gang members allegedly presented CBZ with an ultimatum to split the rental income in half or "lose the buildings permanently."

CBZ said it made the decision to withdraw its management team from the properties due to safety concerns.

"Despite the obvious crisis, several city officials refused to acknowledge the reality. Instead, they blamed us, citing 'code violations' as the reason for shutting down our property—violations we couldn't resolve for tenants who weren't even ours," CBZ wrote.

The company claimed that the only violations it did not resolve were those made after the gang took over.

Even after local reports surfaced of authorities arresting 10 confirmed TDA gang members with ties to the apartment takeovers, the media and local officials continued to call others' concerns overblown.

On Sunday, Republican vice presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance (Ohio), humiliated ABC News anchor Martha Raddatz for trying to downplay the severity of the situation in Aurora. According to Raddatz, former President Donald Trump's claims that TDA has taken over parts of the city have been debunked.

"Do you support Donald Trump making those claims that the Republican mayor says were grossly exaggerated and have hurt the city's identity and sense of safety?" Raddatz asked Vance.

"Martha, you just said the mayor said they were exaggerated. That means there's got to be some element of truth here," Vance responded.

Raddatz interrupted Vance's reply and stated that the TDA takeovers "were limited to a handful of apartment complexes."

"Martha, do you hear yourself?!" Vance fired back. "Only a handful of apartment complexes in America were taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and Donald Trump is the problem and not Kamala Harris' open border?!"

In a post on X, CBZ wrote, "Despite clear evidence, many still deny the reality of the situation, sometimes using us as scapegoats. That's why we are no longer staying silent. We will continue to counter falsehoods with simple facts and evidence."

"Yes, gangs did take control of our apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado, and the government did nothing. That is the real story," it added.

Cindy Romero told Fox News on Monday that the media's attempts to minimize the situation feel like "a slap in the face."

"How many gangs is OK to have in Aurora? How many properties is OK to take over? How many people, who are citizens paying their bills, is it OK to displace?" Romero asked.

An Aurora representative told the New York Post that CBZ's claims were "exaggerations."

"These delinquent property owners, managers and/or 'investors' conveniently fail to acknowledge that their own bank lenders took them to court in the last few weeks where a judge ordered some of their problematic properties into receivership," the spokesperson stated. "That means a judge has given the legal authority to a third-party receiver to actually manage the properties, and who the property owners will be forced to compensate."

The FBI declined to comment, the Post reported.

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Suspect admits Tren de Aragua ties after viral video shows him with armed group at Aurora apartment: Report



A man recently admitted to law enforcement that he is a member of the gang Tren de Aragua after he was reportedly caught on surveillance footage storming through a Colorado apartment complex with several other armed individuals, according to a New York Post report.

In August, a viral video showed a group of five men, four of whom were carrying firearms, banging on the door to a residence at the Edge at Lowry, an apartment complex in Aurora, Blaze News previously reported.

Former residents and locals have sounded the alarm about TDA gang members taking over the property after Venezuelan nationals started moving in. TDA members have also reportedly expanded their presence to other apartments in the Aurora area.

Three men were arrested in connection with the August video. One of those individuals has reportedly confessed to being a TDA gang member, law enforcement sources told the Post.

Three other men who were captured in the video have not yet been identified.

During an interview with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, 20-year-old Niefred Serpa-Acosta allegedly admitted to being in TDA. Sources also told the Post that Serpa-Acosta has crown tattoos, a symbol frequently associated with the gang.

Aurora police Chief Todd Chamberlain has claimed that the department's investigation into the incident has not found any gang ties.

"There's a lot of limitations, a lot of rules, a lot of regulations that relate to identifying someone as a specific gang member or an affiliate of a gang," Chamberlain said. "Many of these individuals we're talking about come from a country which does not have a strong relationship with the United States, come from a country that does not have a database that they are going to share."

All three of the suspects have lengthy rap sheets in the state, according to sources.

KCNC-TV previously reported that the men were also involved in a deadly shooting approximately 10 minutes after the surveillance footage was captured.

There is currently no confirmed evidence that the two other arrested suspects — 25-year-old Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco and 21-year-old Naudi Lopez Fernandez — are affiliated with the gang.

Sources told the Post that Zambrano-Pacheco and Lopez Fernandez crossed illegally into the U.S. and were quickly released by border authorities. Since they have been in the country, they have been arrested multiple times.

Acosta was reportedly arrested at least three times for theft, and, on one of those occasions, he was also charged with resisting arrest and obstructing an officer, according to the Post's sources. He is currently in ICE custody.

The Aurora Police Department and ICE did not respond to a request for comment from the Post.

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