11 Tren de Aragua members indicted in federal racketeering case

SANTA FE, New Mexico (KVIA) -- 11 Tren de Aragua gang members, primarily from Venezuela, are facing federal racketeering charges in New Mexico. Federal prosecutors say the 11 were just indicted. They are accused of kidnapping, brutally interrogating, and strangling a person in an Albuquerque apartment. They then allegedly buried the person's body in a remote desert grave, prosecutors say.

Court documents state that Henderson Yofre Mavo Finol, 39, and Adan Jose Ramirez Sanchez, 38, both undocumented migrants and alleged Tren de Aragua leaders, allegedly directed the kidnapping of John Doe 1 on June 16, 2024. Prosecutors say that undocumented Colombian national Hagy Jose Barrios Rojano, 31, carried out the kidnapping by luring John Doe to the Albuquerque apartment.

"Once inside the apartment, Leonel Arquimedes Bustamante Sanchez, 27, Yefeso Rafael Colina Quiroz, 26, Maikol David Aponte Ramos, 26, Ichiro Eduardo Yamawaki Berrio, 22, Yorvis Michel Carrascal Campo, 26, all Venezuelan nationals illegally present in the U.S., and other TdA members allegedly restrained and assaulted John Doe 1," federal prosecutors explained. "During the assault, Bustamante Sanchez allegedly struck John Doe 1 in the head and face with a firearm, rendering him incapacitated."

Later, the suspects are accused of interrogating the victim about his loyalty to Tren de Aragua and his possible connections with rival gangs. A Tren de Aragua leader then ordered John Doe 1's killing.

"Acting on that order, Colina Quiroz, Yamawaki Berrio, Aponte Ramos, Carrascal Campo, and Milton Jesus Lopez Guedes, 23, a Venezuelan national illegally present in the U.S., allegedly strangled John Doe 1 until he died," federal prosecutors explained. "After the killing, TdA members allegedly photographed the victim’s body and sent the images to Mavo Finol and other TdA leaders to confirm that the murder had been carried out as directed."

Antoni Alfredo Herrera Montanez, 27, is then accused of getting luggage to move the victim's body in, and then getting cleaning supplies to clean up the alleged crime.

"Colina Quiroz, Aponte Ramos, and Carrascal Campo allegedly cleaned the apartment to remove evidence of the killing," federal prosecutors said. "Between June 16 and June 17, 2024, Colina Quiroz and Ron Saez allegedly searched for a burial site, obtained shovels, shared a digital map location with other TdA members, and transported the victim’s body in a suitcase using a red Chevrolet Sonic owned by Herrera Montanez. Colina Quiroz, Aponte Ramos, Barrios Rojano, Carrascal Campo, Lopez Guedes, and Ron Saez allegedly buried John Doe 1 in a remote location within the District of New Mexico."

Ramirez Sanchez is also accused of being involved in an armed confrontation in Aurora, Colorado on or about August 18, 2024. Rival groups exchanged gunfire and another victim, John Doe 2, was killed, federal prosecutors say.

"In addition to the violent crimes, Colina Quiroz is charged with possessing ammunition in Albuquerque in February 2025," federal prosecutors explained. "Aponte Ramos and Herrera Montanez are charged with possessing firearms, extended magazines, ammunition, controlled substances including cocaine, ketamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, fentanyl, and marijuana, materials used to manufacture tusi, a narcotic drug popular in Venezuela which typically contains a mixture of controlled substances, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, and is typically manufactured to be pink in color, and fraudulent immigration and identification documents."

Mavo Finol, Ramirez Sanchez, Barrios Rojano, and Bustamante Sanchez are charged with conspiracy to conduct racketeering activity, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, and drug trafficking conspiracy. They could get up to life in prison if convicted.

Colina Quiroz, Yamawaki Berrio, Aponte Ramos, Herrera Montanez, Carrascal Campo, Lopez Guedes, and Ron Saez are charged with conspiracy to conduct racketeering activity, murder in aid of racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracy. If convicted, they face up to life in prison.