(NewsNation) — An alleged high-ranking member of Tren de Aragua, the notorious Venezuelan prison gang, has been charged with conspiring to and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization as well as drug trafficking, justice department officials announced Wednesday.
Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, who is also known as “Chuqui,” was charged in federal court in Texas after a five-count indictment was unsealed. Flores, 24, was also charged with conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia, which was intended to be distributed in the United States.
Flores was arrested in Colombia on March 31 after a provisional warrant was issued for his arrest in the United States. He remains in custody in Colombia pending further proceedings, federal officials said. Flores was charged just days after 27 people linked to Tren de Aragua were charged by federal agents.
“TdA is not a street gang — it is a highly structured terrorist organization that put down roots in our country during the prior administration,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement released by the DOJ. “Today’s charges represent an inflection point in how this Department of Justice will prosecute and ultimately dismantle this evil organization, which has destroyed American families and poisoned our communities.”
Tren de Aragua and MS-13 were both designated as foreign terrorist organizations by President Donald Trump shortly after taking office in January.
Federal officials said Flores is a high-ranking Tren de Aragua member in Bogota, Colombia, and is part of the inner circle of senior gang leaders. Flores allegedly caused the delivery of about 5 kilograms or more of cocaine that was set to be distributed internationally. Proceeds from the sale of the drugs were used to further the gang’s criminal goals.
If convicted, Flores faces a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
“TdA is a direct threat to our national security, to our communities, and to Americans,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. “Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI continues in our pursuit to eliminate this violent terrorist organization from our streets, and today’s announcement makes it clear that these criminals, especially the leaders of these cartels, have no place in our country.”
In a social media post, Patel wrote that Flores’ arrest is a “major step” in breaking up the operations of violent terrorist gangs and rooting them out of American communities.