Four members of the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua pleaded guilty on June 3 before U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote to two counts of murder through the use of a firearm and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, according to an announcement by United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton and other federal officials. The charges are related to the May 24, 2024, murders of Claretha LaQuesha Daniels and Justin Lawless and the non-fatal shooting of a third victim in the Bronx.
The defendants—Keiber Jaen Martinez (also known as Keybe), Samuel Gonzalez Castro (also known as Klei or Kley), Eferson Morillo-Gomez (also known as Jefferson or Efe Trebol), and Keineyer Ibarra-Mujica (also known as Keiner)—each admitted their roles in these crimes. A fifth codefendant, Jarwin Valero-Calderon (La Fama), previously pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy and firearms charges related to a separate gunpoint carjacking. All eight defendants charged in this case have now been convicted.
“As they have now admitted, these four members of Tren de Aragua entered the United States illegally and then brutally murdered Claretha LaQuesha Daniels and Justin Lawless on May 24, 2024, in the middle of a residential street in the Bronx, which resulted in another victim being shot and injured,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, according to the Department of Justice. “This recent Memorial Day Sunday marked a tragic date: two years to the day that Ms. Daniels and Mr. Lawless lost their lives… Today, we delivered two things every New York family wants: these four gun-toting, murderous criminals off our streets; and a message to international gangs—‘stay out of the United States.’”
According to public filings in this case, Tren de Aragua operated throughout New York City—including Bronx and Queens—as well as internationally in Venezuela, Peru, and elsewhere. The group’s activities included smuggling individuals into various countries for sex trafficking purposes; trafficking controlled substances such as “tusi” containing ketamine; armed robberies including carjackings; acts involving murder or assault against rivals or victims; maintaining power through threats or violence; promoting its reputation among associates; providing assistance for fugitives within its ranks; intimidating witnesses; enforcing compliance among trafficked women with threats or violence.
Officials highlighted ongoing efforts by Joint Task Force Vulcan—a multi-agency initiative created to eradicate violent transnational criminal organizations—and Homeland Security Task Force under Executive Order 14159 targeting cartels operating within U.S borders.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jun Xiang, Kathryn Wheelock, Timothy Ly, Andrew K. Chan, and Jared Hoffman with support from multiple law enforcement agencies including HSI New York Field Office and NYPD.
