Member
Tennessee Officials Arrest Tren de Aragua Members Amid Gang Resurgence Warning
Charlie Kirk Staff
11/29/2024
Authorities in Tennessee arrested two alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TDA) last week, as officials raised concerns about the group’s growing presence in the state.
On November 19, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) apprehended Luis Alejandro Ruiz-Godoy, wanted on outstanding warrants issued through INTERPOL, according to the Memphis Police Department. ICE subsequently transported Ruiz-Godoy to Louisiana for deportation. Additional details surrounding his arrest were not disclosed, Fox reports.
In a separate operation, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) announced on Monday that four individuals, including another suspected TDA member, were arrested during a sex trafficking sting in Hamilton County.
Law enforcement officials discovered the suspects at a hotel during an investigation by Tennessee’s Human Trafficking Task Force. The operation revealed ties to a human sex trafficking ring.
Three women—Wilimar Herrera Guedez, 29; Rebeca De Los Juarez Lucena, 26; and Yidalbris Marcano Salas, 29—were charged with prostitution. Salas also faces multiple drug-related charges and unlawful weapons possession.
Adelvis Rodriguez-Carmona, 30, identified as a known TDA member, faces charges of patronizing prostitution, drug-related offenses, and unlawful weapons possession. Investigators suspect Rodriguez-Carmona of violent crimes in Chicago and New York City. He remains in custody at the Hamilton County Jail on a $125,000 bond.
The arrests occurred shortly before TBI issued a public warning about the increasing presence of Tren de Aragua members across Tennessee.
“This gang has exploited [the border],” TBI Director David Rausch said on Fox & Friends on November 22. “They operate in human trafficking, organized retail crime theft, and have expanded into the drug trade, often engaging in violent, bloody conflicts with cartels.”
Rausch highlighted TDA’s growing footprint in cities like Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. He described efforts to curb gang activities as a dangerous “cat-and-mouse game,” further complicated when suspects lack an immigration detainer.
“If we come upon them and they have a detainer, we can take them into custody,” Rausch explained. “Otherwise, all we can do is monitor their actions and ensure they’re not breaking the law.”
The Department of Homeland Security recently flagged over 600 individuals with possible connections to Tren de Aragua, recommending that more than 100 be placed on the FBI watchlist. Officials are calling for heightened vigilance as the gang continues to exploit vulnerabilities and expand its criminal operations.
