U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that its Enforcement and Removal Operations officers in Houston arrested 356 illegal alien gang members in the first six months of the Trump administration. Officials said those arrested were affiliated with roughly 40 gangs and had illegally entered the United States a combined 1,434 times.
One Mexican national was caught illegally entering 40 times, ICE said. Collectively, the group had amassed 1,685 criminal convictions for crimes including homicide, sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, promotion of child pornography, aggravated assault, domestic violence, burglary, alien smuggling, sex trafficking, organized crime, drug trafficking, arson, and illegal reentry.
“Despite attempts by some to undermine the courageous work being done by our officers, the brave men and women of ICE continue to put their lives on the line every day to arrest violent transnational gang members, foreign fugitives and dangerous criminal aliens,” said Gabriel Martinez, acting field office director for ICE ERO Houston.
“In just the past couple of years in Houston, transnational gang members were responsible for brutally raping and murdering an innocent 12-year-old girl on her way to the store,” Martinez added. “Our officers know their efforts can help prevent atrocities like that from ever occurring again, and they won’t rest until they’re all gone.”
Among those arrested were 64 gang members from organizations recently designated as foreign terrorist groups, including 39 from MS-13 and 25 from Tren de Aragua. Other gang members arrested included 159 from Paisas, 26 from Tango Blast, 12 from Surenos-13, and six from the Latin Kings.
ICE highlighted several of the worst offenders:
- Luis Fernando Nava-Garcia, 20, a Paisas gang member who illegally entered the U.S. 40 times. He has two convictions for illegal reentry.
- Javier Ivan Montoya-Avila, 34, a Paisas member with 26 illegal entries and convictions for burglary, trespassing, tampering with government records, and illegal reentry.
- Jose Angel Martinez, a Paisas member and “child predator” who illegally entered five times, with convictions for sexual indecency with a minor, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, burglary, drug possession, and obstructing police.
- Samuel Valenzuela Martinez, a Paisas member with five illegal entries and convictions for six DWIs, three assaults, three illegal entries, and charges including hit-and-run, cruelty toward a child, fraud, and evading arrest.
- Juan Pablo Hernandez Ramos, a Paisas member deported three times, convicted of possession with intent to promote child pornography, sexual assault, aggravated assault, and illegal reentry.
- Humberto Romero Avila, a Paisas member who illegally entered 10 times, previously deported to Mexico where he was wanted for homicide.
- Gerardo Ortega-Contreras, a Tango Blast member with convictions for resisting arrest, DWI, burglary, and drug possession.
- Juan Manuel Cayetano-Vasquez, a Surenos-13 member with 13 illegal entries and convictions for drug possession, domestic violence, assault, and identity theft.
- Jonathan Morales-Abundis, a Surenos-13 member who entered illegally 29 times, with convictions for alien smuggling and illegal reentry.
- Jose Pizano-Tierrablanca, a Surenos-13 member with convictions for sexual indecency with a minor and illegal entry.
- Luis Alberto Hernandez, a Latin Kings member with three illegal entries and convictions for domestic violence, aggravated assault, drug trafficking, firearm possession, and child abuse.
- Ronald Alberto Rivas-Aguilar, an MS-13 member convicted of homicide.
- Jonathan Josue Valle-Moralez, an MS-13 member in U.S. Marshals custody, convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and facing prosecution for homicide.
ICE officials said the arrests demonstrate their continued commitment to removing violent gang members and criminal aliens who threaten U.S. communities.
