Federal prosecutors have unsealed a 38-count indictment charging 27 alleged members and associates of the Anti-Tren faction, a splinter group from the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TDA), with crimes including racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, murder-for-hire conspiracy, kidnapping, sex trafficking, and related offenses. The charges are linked to a double homicide that occurred on April 15, 2024, in the Bronx, New York.
According to authorities, 21 of the defendants had previously been charged under an earlier indictment. Of the six new individuals named in this superseding indictment, five are now in federal custody. In total, approximately 38 people associated with TDA and Anti-Tren have been charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
“As alleged, these members of Anti-Tren, a splinter faction of the terrorist organization Tren de Aragua, planned and carried out a series of horrific crimes, including gunpoint robberies, murders, and the exploitation of vulnerable young women through sex trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). “Tren de Aragua is in the business of murder, sex trafficking, and intimidation, and they brought that business to New York while being unlawfully present in the United States. Today’s charges reflect our commitment to bankrupt TDA and bring its members to justice. The gang members charged today exerted ruthless control over sex trafficking victims through intimidation, brutality, and threats of violence against them and their loved ones — leaving lasting trauma in their wake. The women and men of the SDNY are unwavering in their commitment to bankrupt gangs that corrupt our neighborhoods, prey on the vulnerable, and pursue violence as a way of life.”
Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) stated: “Homeland Security Investigations New York continues to stand at the forefront of investigations against vicious criminal enterprises like Tren de Aragua and Anti-Tren. Through their use of ruthless tactics and blatant disregard for human life, TdA and its offshoots are among the fastest emerging transnational criminal organizations to encroach upon American soil. HSI New York, through the Homeland Security Task Force, continues to target these gangs that seek to perpetrate destruction and terror in our communities. Together, alongside our law enforcement partners, we are committed to ensuring that no corners of the TdA and Anti-Tren enterprises are beyond the reach of justice.”
Co-Director Christopher Eason of Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) added: “TdA and its faction Anti-Tren grew from a prison gang to a transnational criminal organization to a foreign terrorist organization. The violence and horrific acts as charged here including the double murder, murder for hire, kidnapping, and sex trafficking will be met with the full weight of our justice system. The charges against these TdA associates and Anti-Tren members are directly in line with JTFV’s mission: a collaborative whole-of-government effort to destroy TdA and its factions. We are grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to investigate and bring these important charges.”
The indictment alleges that Anti-Tren is made up almost entirely of former TDA members or associates operating across multiple locations including New York City—specifically Bronx and Queens—as well as parts of New Jersey, Illinois, Washington state, among others.
Prosecutors say Anti-Tren aimed to maintain power through violence directed at both rival groups—including TDA—and internal dissenters; enrich itself via smuggling people (especially women from Venezuela), engaging in sex trafficking under coercion or threat (“multadas”), drug trafficking (notably substances such as “tusi”), armed robbery; keep victims compliant through fear; support fugitive members; promote its reputation; shield itself from law enforcement using intimidation or violence against witnesses.
Victims were reportedly forced into commercial sex work under debt bondage after being smuggled into the United States illegally by group members who used threats—including death threats toward family—assaults or even shootings/kidnappings if they attempted escape.
Specific allegations include:
– Three defendants—Yender Mata; Ervin Hernandez (“Coco”/“Coquito”); Kerlyn Nataliy Perez-Lopez (“Mou”)—are accused in connection with two murders on April 15th.
– Multiple other conspiracies targeting individuals for murder between February–April 2025.
– Acts such as ordering punishment shootings within their own ranks.
– Armed home invasion robberies targeting families or drug traffickers.
– Sex trafficking cases involving Venezuelan victims threatened with weapons or deprived access to immigration documents.
Law enforcement agencies involved include HSI offices from several cities (New York; Seattle; Chicago; Portland), NYPD units including Computer Crimes Unit; Joint Task Force Vulcan; various regional police departments across Colorado & Washington state; US Marshals Service units nationwide; ATF; Customs & Border Protection divisions specializing in gangs/human intelligence.
This case forms part of broader initiatives like Operation Take Back America—a Justice Department strategy designed to counter illegal immigration flows tied to cartel activity—and JTFV’s expansion beyond MS-13 dismantling efforts toward tackling organizations like Tren de Aragua nationwide.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jun Xiang; Kathryn Wheelock; Timothy Ly; Andrew K Chan lead prosecution efforts from SDNY.
The government emphasizes all charges remain accusations until proven beyond reasonable doubt at trial.
