If you think that this gang is not organized and that they are not mobile and strategic, think again.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua whom authorities in Chattanooga arrested earlier this month was arrested in Chicago earlier this year, police records confirm.
30-year-old Adelvis Rodriguez-Carmona was among 4 people authorities arrested at a Chattanooga hotel and charged with sex trafficking.
Rodriguez was previously detained in March by police in Chicago on suspicion he shot a 27-year-old woman, according to an online release from the U.S. Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (ICE).
But questions remain about how Rodriguez-Carmona returned to the streets after his Chicago arrest.
Homeland Security Investigations Nashville Public Affairs Officer Mike Meares said "This is part of an active and ongoing investigation and there is no information available at this time."
In New York City, police have reported that Tren de Aragua members are recruiting children as young as 11 inside migrant shelters, where they often hide in plain sight.
The lack of cooperation from countries like Venezuela, which does not have a government the United States works with, complicates efforts to vet these individuals.Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security warned that Tren de Aragua is now operating in at least 16 states, including Tennessee, underscoring the widespread reach and influence of the gang.
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