Fort Worth's Showdown Sting: 76 Busted, Tren de Aragua Cartel Tattoos Exposed
Police arrested 76 suspects for gun and drug crimes – including illegal aliens from Venezuela – after a mission called 'Operation Showdown.'
Officials charged the suspects with 'federal and state firearms and drug offenses' after a two-month-long investigation in Fort Worth, according to a press release from the Department of Justice. Police seized 287 guns and close to 23 kg – or 50 lbs – of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin.
'This operation highlights the tremendous work of our law enforcement partners in dismantling criminal networks — located within and outside our borders — that flood our communities with deadly drugs and tools for violence,' said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson for the Northern District of Texas in the release.
Eight illegal aliens from Venezuela are facing drug trafficking charges, according to the release: Benito Castro Marrufo, Carlos Moreno Olivero, Darwin Ayala-Ochoa, Edixon Urdaneta-Colina, Elwin Manama Rodriguez, Kenny Manama Perez, Luis Garcia-Zamora, Rodrigo Riquel Cardozo.
'These defendants are charged with trafficking mixtures of powder cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA (commonly known as Ecstasy),' the release reads. 'They referred to the narcotics they sold as Tusi, which had a distinct pink color, usually indicative of drugs tied to Venezuela.'
The illegals showed up on May 21 'to provide armed protection' for what they thought was a 50 kg meth deal – actually 'a ruse arranged by agents.' They faced charges of firearm possession for drug trafficking, and four allegedly sold 'numerous' 9mm and .380 caliber pistols around the same time.
During the arrests, agents photographed 'crown and star tattoos' on three suspects – Castro Marrufo, Manama Rodriguez, and Urdeneta-Colina, according to the release. These tattoos are common among the brutal Venezuelan cartel Tren de Aragua. Earlier this year, authorities busted a TdA leader near Houston and arrested forty cartel members just outside of Austin.
After conviction, 'individuals who are in the country illegally will be handed over to ICE for deportation proceedings,' said Katherine Miller with the DOJ to The Dallas Express. Dexter Henson, spokesman for ICE-Dallas, told The Dallas Express that its staff were unavailable at the time and could not comment before publication.
In total, 56 suspects are facing federal charges, including illegal firearms trafficking, unlawful possession and transfer of machine guns, unlawful possession of firearms, and firearm use during drug trafficking, according to the release. Charges also include conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Defendants could face anywhere from 10 years to life in prison.
Twenty suspects are also facing state charges in the Tarrant County District Court for crimes including possession of controlled substances like meth and fentanyl.
Overall, the drugs included 14.8 kg of cocaine – enough to more than 12,300 people, and 480 g of fentanyl – enough to kill 400 people, according to the release. Police also seized 7.5 kg of meth, 1.4 kg of marijuana, and 13 g of heroin. The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office also posted that the weapons seized included 25 machine guns and 147 'machinegun conversion devices.'
Some of the other charges are for methamphetamine trafficking against defendants Darrick Carter, Maya Bradshar, D'Morion Holleman, Raul Penalver, and Charles Blackshire, according to the release – all 'convicted felons.'
Another charge is against Anthony Wilson, who has been on probation since January for 'second-degree robbery' in California, for firearm possession by a felon. He allegedly sold a pistol and ammunition in May, while he had a child in the back seat of his car.
'The public is reminded these charges are merely allegations, and that each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,' the release reads.
The sheriff's SWAT, K9, Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team, and drone units worked with the ATF to execute a 'critical search warrant,' the office posted. They worked 'securing a three-building residence with nine individuals, including two children, ensuring their safety.'
Deputies worked with the Fort Worth Police Department, Tarrant County District Attorney, ATF Dallas, Texas Department of Public Safety, Drug Enforcement Administration, ICE, and U.S. Marshals.
'We remain committed to protecting our communities, combating violent crime, and ensuring justice is served,' the sheriff's office posted.
Eduardo Chavez, DEA special agent in charge in Fort Worth, said in the release that officials have taken 'kilos' of drugs and 'hundreds' of weapons off Fort Worth streets since April.
'We want children to play safely at community parks and ride bikes around neighborhood streets,' Chavez said. 'This joint operation was a giant, positive step toward that goal this summer.'
Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells issued a stark warning in the release to drug and gun traffickers.
'We are sending a simple message today: if you choose to poison our streets, you will be met with the full force of the law — no exceptions, no excuses,' Sorrells said. 'This is about protecting our families and making sure drug dealers know: Tarrant County is not open for business.'
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San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump is trying to turn California into a police state. Here's what's coming next
The stage is set for one hot summer on America's streets. Last week's U.S. Court of Appeals hearing on whether President Trump exceeded his authority — first, by unilaterally calling up thousands of California's National Guard troops to restore order in roughly six city blocks of Los Angeles and then by deploying hundreds of active-duty Marines specializing in urban warfare — was jaw-dropping. A Trump administration attorney argued before the court that his boss has the unreviewable power to call up the guard, not only as he has already done in the Golden State, but simultaneously in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. And to deploy, alongside these guard members, unlimited numbers of active-duty armed forces, such as the Marines, whose primary mission Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly pledged will focus on 'lethality, warfighting and readiness.' The court signing off on this shocking authoritarian overreach was paired with Trump's recent comments suggesting that Los Angeles is just the beginning ('We are going to have troops everywhere'), and Hegseth's belligerent refusal in last week's Senate oversight hearing to answer the simple question of whether or not he had given the order authorizing 'live ammunition' (one might, reasonably, assume the answer is 'yes'). Outrage over the court's sanctioning of Trump's military deployments was quickly overwhelmed by his bombing of Iran. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement has continued its provocations in Los Angeles — including the apparent racial profiling and arrest of a U.S. citizen on her way to work — with military backing. National Guard troops were also deployed last week more than 130 miles away from Los Angeles to assist in the raid of a suspected marijuana farm in Riverside County. The 'legal rationale' the administration has thus far successfully floated to justify these actions was an obscure 1798 law whose Fox News-friendly statutory nomenclature has quickly evolved into a MAGA-embraced, immigrant-bashing, chest-pounding rallying cry: The wording fits perfectly with the outright lies told during Trump's presidential campaign, about how Haitian immigrants were allegedly eating everyone's cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio, and how a Venezuelan street gang had somehow turned Aurora, Colo., (conveniently located near an ICE detention center) into a 'war zone.' The Trump administration will almost certainly ride the Alien Enemies Act train until it jumps the court-sanctioned tracks, then simply catch the next train and then the next until they/we/all of us arrive at their chosen destination: A police state. The term 'police state,' as we all know, gets tossed around a lot. But few have a clear idea of what it is. A country becomes a police state when the line between civil and military authority is rendered meaningless. We're not there yet. But here's one scenario of how we might arrive at that fate, using Los Angeles (as Trump is doing in real life) as a case study. The last time a U.S. president sent the National Guard somewhere to address civil unrest was, of course, Los Angeles in 1992 during the riots after police officers were acquitted of the Rodney King beating. The initial request for a federal response originated with the governor, rather than the president. Then, as it is now, local police, such as the Los Angeles Police Department, train and practice alongside National Guard soldiers under a federal mandate known as Defense Support of Civil Authority. These joint preparations occur during weekend training drills of National Guard and reserve units and help to identify possible weaknesses in the chain of command and in general operations. One illustrative example of how crucial a role this authority plays in emergency operations — and how quickly things can turn bad, quickly — comes from the Rodney King riots and their aftermath. As the disturbances were winding down, an L.A. police sergeant who had taken fire some days earlier returned to the scene where shots were fired. With him was a Marine Corps infantry platoon led by a young lieutenant. With the Marines stationed in front of the house, the police sergeant sent two of his men around back. Before starting across the street to investigate, the police sergeant told the Marine lieutenant to 'cover him.' The entire platoon opened up with automatic weapons fire. 'Cover me' means something very different to a Marine than it means to a police officer. To a Marine, trained only for combat, 'cover me' means opening fire when a member of your team begins to advance on a target. Most people have probably seen this in a movie, if not in a modern war video game. That, however, is not what it means to police; it's a request to raise weapons to be ready to fire should the need arise. Fortunately, no one died that day. But we may not be so lucky on today's streets, given the lack of coordination and cooperation endemic to Trump's style of leadership. Should such a tragic incident come to pass, we can expect more civil unrest — possibly even riots — and for Trump to weaponize that straight out of the fascist playbook, something he's already doing with his ICE provocations: Stir something up, wait for your loyal base to call on its dear leader to restore order. Send in more troops, provide that 'iron fist' for which your followers yearn, tighten your grip on power. Wrap yourself in the flag, flood the zone with propaganda, rinse/repeat. The aggressive actions in Los Angeles have not, as of yet, resulted in significant injury and harm to civilians or police. But other cities, other states might not be so lucky. As Trump almost certainly seeks to expand his operations in the coming weeks and months to New York or perhaps Chicago, Democratic governors likely to find themselves in the crosshairs would be well-advised to begin preparing now, while their National Guard is still under their command and control. Make no mistake, America: Our mettle and our intestinal fortitude are about to be tested. We hold out hope that the Supreme Court will issue an emergency ruling telling the president he has exceeded his powers. Especially if people start to die. This would put some daylight between what Trump is trying to pull and his actual official powers. If he then persists in issuing orders to the military, which the court has declared illegal, you can rest assured the military has ways, largely unfamiliar to civilians, to maintain 'good order and discipline' in its ranks. Arresting a superior officer (including a commander-in-chief) may be contemplated where his or her actions warrant such. Especially when that becomes necessary to fulfill their sacred oath to 'protect and defend the Constitution.' Semper fi. Brett Wagner, now retired, served as a professor of national security decision making for the U.S. Naval War College and adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. J. Holmes Armstead, now retired, served as a professor of strategy and international law at the U.S. Naval War College and as a judge advocate general, inspector general and civil affairs officer in the U.S. Army, Army Reserves and National Guard.
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown is getting ICE agents hurt
New tactics are being met with rising public resistance and desperation from suspects facing ICE detention and deportation. Masked agents. Terrified suspects. Emotions running high as screaming crowds press in, cell phone cameras in hand. Amid surging immigration enforcement across the country, federal agents are being hurt and hospitalized as they make increasingly public – and risky – arrests of people they believe are undocumented. White House officials say there's been a 500% increase in assaults on agents, as President Donald Trump's massive deportation campaign ramps up. Administration officials say bold tactics are needed to repel what they call an "invasion" of immigrants. But policing experts say the aggressive approach is provoking unnecessarily dangerous encounters. In a recent incident in Nebraska, a female ICE agent was thrown to the ground and choked by an accused Tren de Aragua gang member who said he was formerly a Venezuelan soldier, according to court documents. The suspect escaped and was later captured with the help of local police. Bystander videos have captured agents wrestling suspects to the ground on crowded streets and chasing them through farm fields. One widely circulated video showed an agent grabbing a U.S. citizen by the neck in a Walmart parking lot as he resisted being taken; federal prosecutors have charged the man with assault after he allegedly punched an agent. "Just this week, an ICE officer was dragged 50 yards by a car while arresting an illegal alien sex offender," Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary, told USA TODAY. "Every day the men and women of ICE put their lives on the line to protect and defend the lives of American citizens." Trump, who has promised to deport 1 million immigrants this year, ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents "to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest mass deportation program in history." In a June 15 social media post, he also said: "Every day, the brave men and women of ICE are subjected to violence, harassment and even threats from radical Democrat politicians, but nothing will stop us from executing our mission, and fulfilling our mandate to the American people." Art Del Cueto, the vice president of the National Border Patrol Council, said the union's 16,000 members welcome Trump's tough new approach to immigration enforcement. Detainees are increasingly fighting back, he said, because they know there's no escape: "That's why you're seeing attacks on agents." 'It's not about public safety anymore' But there's growing pushback from the public. Recent immigration sweeps in the Los Angeles area sparked widespread protests and small riots downtown, as people threw rocks at law enforcement and set patrol vehicles on fire, and federal agents responded with tear gas and pepper spray. In some cases, federal agents are getting into shoving matches with crowds trying to film or stop what they consider to be overzealous detentions, especially when the masked agents refuse to identify themselves. Policing experts say ICE agents are exacerbating tense situations with practices that many American police departments have largely disavowed. While there's little objection to detaining violent criminals, masked agents descending upon Home Depot parking lots to arrest day laborers and food vendors – most with no criminal record – sparks panic. "The aggressive police tactics being employed by the federal government are causing the issue," said longtime police supervisor Diane Goldstein, who now directs the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, which has spent decades working to develop trust between the public and police. "Their direction and their leadership is directly putting them in a horrific situation," she said. The ICE tactics on display are a dramatic departure from how cautiously ICE agents previously worked, said Jason Houser, a former Department of Homeland Security counterterrorism official. Houser is an Afghanistan combat veteran who was ICE chief of staff during the Biden administration. Previously, ICE agents prioritized serious criminal offenders for arrest, Houser said. A team of agents might work for days or weeks to surveil a single subject before making an arrest carefully timed to minimize risks to the public and to agents themselves. ICE agents are trained to "think about prioritization of public safety, risk and removability," he added. Internal Justice Department training programs stress that police agencies should focus on de-escalation whenever possible and avoid making arrests in public areas, especially when there's no imminent threat to public safety. "Now we have political quotas: 'Give me 3,000 arrests' (per day). And all gloves are off," Houser said. "It's not about public safety any more." Before Trump, assaults were on the decline An increase in assaults on officers and agents this year would reverse a three-year trend of declining incidents, according to internal Department of Homeland Security statistics. Despite millions of daily interactions with the public, it was rare for ICE, customs officers and Border Patrol agents to get attacked on the job. The agency logged 363 assault incidents in fiscal 2024, down from 474 incidents in fiscal 2023 and 524 in fiscal 2022, according to DHS data. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which includes both customs officers and Border Patrol agents, has 45,000 law enforcement personnel and is the nation's largest law enforcement agency. Additionally, ICE has roughly 6,200 deportation agents on staff. White House officials declined to answer USA TODAY's questions about the numbers underlying the 500% increase in assaults, including the total number of injuries and their severity. It's also unclear how many additional federal agents have so far been re-assigned to immigration enforcement. Masked agents refusing to identify themselves In Huntington Park, Calif, authorities this week detained a man they said appeared to be pretending to be an ICE agent ‒ a situation they said was possible because real ICE agents are refusing to properly identify themselves as they aggressively detain people. Mayor Arturo Flores said the way ICE agents are acting does not present "the image of a just and lawful government." He said he can understand why people are angry and scared, especially knowing there are potential vigilantes and impersonators operating in the area. In response to the accused impersonator's arrest, Huntington Park leaders asked local police to verify the identity of any suspected ICE agents operating in the city. The suspect was found with multiple police radios, official-looking federal paperwork, flashing lights and a 9 mm handgun in his otherwise unmarked vehicle, according to city police. "When people cannot trust who is enforcing the law, public safety us undermines and fear begins to take hold," Flores said in a June 27 press conference. "What we are saying is simple: if you are acting with federal authority, show it. ID yourself Do not hide behind unmarked vehicles, facemasks and vague credentials." 'Someone's going to pull a gun' Underlying the tension between ICE and members of the public is a fundamental fact: ICE is arresting a record number of people who have no criminal record. An analysis by the Libertarian Cato Institute shows ICE is arresting four times more people with no criminal convictions or criminal charges per week now than the agency did during the same period in June 2017, when Trump was also president. "This is a radical tactical shift compared to Trump 1.0," David Bier, Cato director of immigration studies, in a post on X. ICE officials said they are responding to interference by the public. They say advocacy groups are stalking agents as they try to make arrests, putting the agents at risk and allowing their targets to escape. Federal agents testifying before a Senate committee on June 26 said that during a recent enforcement operation bystanders photographed an officer and posted the photo online with a threatening message. There's been a small but growing number of incidents, too, in which people called their local police department to report the presence of armed, masked men bundling community members into unmarked vehicles. ICE officials also often say that if hundreds of "sanctuary" jurisdictions around the country would hand over immigrants after they've completed a criminal sentence, that would reduce the need for agents to make risky, public arrests. But prior to Trump's enforcement ramp-up – about 70% of people arrested by ICE were transferred directly from the prison system into ICE custody, according to the nonprofit Freedom for Immigrants. Trump's new approach has pushed agents to make more arrests in the community at places like Home Depot. The push to meet a quota is driving agents toward raids and round-ups that expose them to greater risk in the field, says Goldstein. She worries that aggressive tactics combined with masks will eventually lead to a shootout. Twenty-eight states have "Stand Your Ground" laws that allow citizens to shoot if they feel threatened. "If you have masked people running out at you, someone's going to pull a gun out and someone's going to get hurt," she said. Trump's Homeland Security leadership appears to have no plans to back down. "Federal law enforcement is facing an ever-escalating increase in assaults," DHS posted to X, "but we will not be deterred."
Miami Herald
4 hours ago
- Miami Herald
U.N. sounds alarm over worsening human rights crisis in Venezuela
Civil and political freedoms in Venezuela have sharply deteriorated over the past year, according to the United Nations' top human rights official, who cited a wave of arbitrary arrests, disappearances and alleged torture amid growing political unrest. In a presentation before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said Friday that the Venezuelan government has intensified its crackdown on dissent, using vague anti-terrorism laws to detain opposition figures, activists and foreign nationals ahead of the country's contentious 2024 elections. Türk also criticized the United States, expressing concern over the deportation of Venezuelans back to what he described as unsafe conditions. 'I repeat my call on the U.S. government to ensure compliance with due process … and to stop the removal of any person to any country where there is a risk of irreparable harm,' he said. Deportation flights resumed this year as part of U.S. efforts to curb irregular migration. Rights groups warn that many deportees face retaliation or mistreatment upon return to Venezuela. Türk's report details at least 70 politically motivated arrests in the lead-up to recent regional and parliamentary elections, including 17 foreign nationals. Following the vote, authorities announced the dismantling of a so-called terrorist network allegedly tied to humanitarian and rights organizations — claims Türk dismissed as a misuse of counterterrorism legislation. The U.N. rights chief called for the 'immediate and unconditional' release of all individuals arbitrarily detained, naming several high-profile human rights defenders, including Rocío San Miguel, Javier Tarazona, Carlos Julio Rojas and Eduardo Torres. According to the report, some detainees have disappeared without a trace, while others face legal proceedings without basic safeguards. At least 28 enforced disappearances were documented after Venezuela's July 2024 presidential election, including 12 foreign nationals who were reportedly denied access to consular support. Since the election, more than 2,000 people have been arrested, including minors. Dozens of political opponents and protesters have been killed or have vanished. Victims include not only Venezuelan citizens but also foreign nationals, such as Colombian aid worker Manuel Tique and French-American tourist Lucas Hunter, both missing since late 2024. The humanitarian crisis is compounded by Venezuela's crumbling infrastructure. Power outages and water shortages are frequent, and inflation has made basic goods inaccessible to much of the population. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, more than five million Venezuelans are facing hunger. Preventable diseases like malaria and measles are spreading amid a collapsed healthcare system. Public services have disintegrated, and violent crime — including kidnappings, armed robberies, and extortion — is widespread. 'My office documented 32 cases of torture and ill-treatment in detention,' Türk said, noting that nearly half involved minors. Inmates were allegedly held incommunicado and denied medical care, food and water — particularly after protesting prison conditions. Türk also warned of increasing restrictions on civil society. A law passed in November regulating non-governmental organizations has made it nearly impossible for many advocacy groups to operate. Organizations now face unlawful registration demands, arbitrary fees and administrative barriers not clearly defined in the legislation. Several non-governmental organizations 'have felt compelled to end their operations in Venezuela because of legal obstacles,' he said. His report describes an atmosphere of fear that disproportionately affects women, marginalized communities, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Women remain underrepresented in public life, and victims of gender-based violence continue to face systemic barriers to justice. Abortion remains criminalized in all cases, including rape and incest. LGBTQ+ individuals, Türk added, often face abuse while in custody, and many hate crimes go unprosecuted. While focused largely on political rights, the U.N. report also highlights Venezuela's deepening economic collapse. With inflation worsening, the monthly minimum wage remains at just 130 bolívares — less than $1 — which has remained unchanged since March 2022. That's barely enough to buy half a carton of eggs, according to the report. Public services have all but collapsed. School attendance plummeted in 2024 amid widespread teacher shortages and class suspensions. Hospitals are chronically under-resourced, with 91% of patients surveyed between January and July asked to bring their own supplies for surgery. 'The authorities' ability to fund essential public services is severely limited,' Türk said. He urged Venezuelan authorities to end enforced disappearances and incommunicado detentions, to provide consular access to foreign detainees, and to repeal laws restricting civic and political participation. Türk said he remains open to reengagement with the Maduro government — but only if U.N. human rights staff are granted full access to the country, a condition Caracas has resisted in recent years. 'I believe in engagement, and I am committed to it,' he said. 'But I do hope the authorities will fulfill the necessary conditions to ensure the full return of all my staff and the implementation of our mandate.'
