By Heidi Ganahl | Rocky Mountain Voice
In recent months, Aurora has become the focus of growing concerns regarding the infiltration of Tren de Aragua, a notorious Venezuelan criminal gang.
The gang’s alleged involvement in local criminal activity, including the takeover of certain apartment complexes and the intimidation of residents, has left law enforcement, property managers, and the community on high alert.
One key development occurred in late August 2024, when a video surfaced from a resident, showing armed members of TdA storming Aurora apartment units. The video, which quickly gained national attention, exposed the severity of the gang’s presence in the area and the risks it posed to residents and property management staff. The gang’s aggressive tactics shocked many. Property managers, such as CBZ Management, claim they were not warned by local authorities, despite police being aware of the gang’s activities.
According to internal emails shared on Twitter/X from the Aurora Police Department, officers had knowledge of Tren de Aragua’s activities as early as September 2023. However, CBZ Management, overseeing some of the affected properties, alleges they were not informed. In a public statement on X, CBZ Management expressed frustration: “The police knew about the Tren de Aragua 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!”
This accusation suggests a reported lack of communication between law enforcement and property managers, who are responsible for ensuring tenant and employee safety. It also illustrates a concerning rise in the gang’s criminal presence. On June 30, 2023, an internal communication detailed an incident where Tren de Aragua members threatened a cleaning worker at Whispering Pine Apartments. The suspects demanded keys to vacant units and warned that they would kill her and her family if she did not comply. The gang members claimed to have surveillance on multiple properties and over 200 people working for them. Despite the grave nature of the threat, property management was not informed of the gang’s activities at the time by law enforcement or city officials.
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| ‼️LEAKED‼️Internal @AuroraGov and @AuroraPD emails regarding TdA gang activity. “…As soon as this group KILLS AN INNOCENT PERSON all HELL is going to break loose and I would hate for us all to be EXPOSED for not sharing information with each other…. |
Do Better Denver (@dobetterdnvr) on Xx.com |
Sgt. Jeff Longnecker of the Major Crime Homicide Unit sent a critical email on June 28, 2024, shared on X, raising concerns about the lack of coordination between federal and local agencies. He noted that task forces, including Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, were involved but weren’t effectively sharing information. Longnecker warned that this lack of collaboration hindered investigations and posed challenges to addressing the gang’s threat in a timely manner. He emphasized that narratives downplaying the gang’s influence had been debunked following a murder, underlining the urgency for proactive action.
By Sept. 22, 2023, Sgt. Anna Bungartz of the Aurora Police Department’s Gun Violence Suppression Team forwarded an article to her colleagues about Tren de Aragua. Bungartz highlighted the gang’s operations in Aurora and mentioned concerns about their asylum requests and housing needs in the area. Homeland Security was reportedly monitoring the group’s activities, but emails suggest that property managers were not alerted, leaving them vulnerable to the gang’s intimidation tactics.
The controversy surrounding this issue intensified after CBZ Management’s allegations. The company, which oversees several impacted complexes, claims that the police failed to protect their employees by withholding critical information. CBZ argues that with prior knowledge of Tren de Aragua’s activities, they could have implemented security measures and protected their staff from threats and violence.
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| 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! (We just confirmed the authenticity of this leaked police email.) |
Cbz Management (@CbzManagement) on Xx.com |
Tren de Aragua’s presence in Aurora has drawn national attention amid broader concerns about migrant-related gang activity across the U.S. A recent Daily Mail article highlighted the gang’s growing influence in several cities, noting how its members often exploit the migrant crisis to establish criminal operations. The gang has been linked to violent activities such as extortion, human trafficking, and drug smuggling, kidnapping, attempted murder, and murder, making their presence in Aurora particularly alarming for both local residents and law enforcement.
As the Aurora Police Department and city officials work to address the threat posed by Tren de Aragua, allegations of miscommunication and transparency issues have raised questions about the effectiveness of their interaction with the community. Property management companies, such as CBZ Management, are now tasked with finding solutions to protect their employees and tenants from potential harm. At the same time, law enforcement faces the challenge of improving coordination and communication, both internally and with key stakeholders, to prevent further escalation of the situation.
City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky has been a key figure in pressuring state and local leaders to address the situation.
“I’ve know from the beginning what the truth is about these complexes. I’ve witnessed firsthand multiple times the amount of human suffering,” Jurinsky said. “I will not sit by and do nothing when our government fails to act. I will continue to help the ones that I can, and I will continue to expose the lies out of Aurora, Denver, and the state of Colorado on this issue.”
She continued: “This isn’t a political issue. Those who are playing politics with people’s lives and further continue to allow this to continue are failing not only American Citizens but the same migrants they claim to protect. Turning this into political football and flat out denying the issue makes it open season for the gang members and criminal element. Americans and migrants are suffering. Migrants who most likely came here to get away from this torturous behavior in their own countries. This must end now.”
John Fabbricatore, a Republican nominee for U.S. House District 6 which includes Aurora, and a retired Colorado ICE Field Office Director, has also played a key role in exposing the activity of TdA in Aurora.
“The city manager, mayor, and leadership at Aurora PD, including Interim Police Chief Heather Morris, were aware of the presence of TdA for at least a year. As documentation is released, we slowly see a cover-up that sought to protect the city’s image, not its citizens,” Fabbricatore said. “Gov. Jared Polis and Congressman Jason Crow were complicit in the cover-up and facilitated a biased media by claiming right-wing conspiracy and Republican imaginations running wild. The truth will continue to come out. Victory through vindication.”
The Rocky Mountain Voice will continue to update on the situation as it develops.
