Tren de Aragua gang leader extradited to Texas on federal terrorism, drug charges
(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
HOUSTON - A suspected high-ranking leader of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA), appeared in federal custody in Houston after being extradited from Colombia to face terrorism and international drug trafficking charges.
Who is Jose Enrique Martinez Flores?
What we know:
24-year-old Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, also known as "Chuqui," is accused of providing material support to the transnational gang, which the U.S. government designated earlier this year as a foreign terrorist organization.
Federal prosecutors allege Flores was part of the inner circle of Tren de Aragua leadership operating in Bogotá, Colombia, and helped oversee criminal operations tied to drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution and murder.
Flores was arrested by Colombian authorities on March 31, 2025, following a provisional arrest request from the United States.
He is scheduled to make his initial appearance Friday morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan in the Southern District of Texas.
Federal charges, potential penalties
FILE - The U.S. Department of Justice seal on a podium in Washington, D.C. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
What they're saying:
Federal prosecutors said Flores is charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
He is also accused of participating in an international cocaine trafficking conspiracy involving at least five kilograms of cocaine allegedly intended for distribution in the United States.
According to the indictment, authorities allege proceeds from the narcotics' operation were used to finance Tren de Aragua’s criminal activities.
If convicted, Flores faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and fines of up to $10 million.
The Rise of Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization
Big picture view:
The case is part of a broader federal crackdown targeting the gang, which originated in Venezuela and has expanded throughout Latin America and into the United States. The State formally designated TdA as both a foreign terrorist organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity on Feb. 20, 2025.
A second superseding indictment returned by a Houston federal grand jury in December 2025 also charged three other alleged TdA leaders:
- 48-year-old Yohan Jose Romero, also known as "Johan Petrica"
- 45-year-old Juan Gabriel Rivas Nunez, also known as "Juancho"
- 38-year-old Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, also known as "El Viejo"
FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list
Dig deeper:
Mosquera Serrano has been placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and is considered one of the organization’s most senior leaders. Federal authorities allege he helped direct cocaine trafficking operations in Colombia intended to supply the U.S. market and coordinated support for the gang’s operations.
The FBI said he may be hiding in Venezuela or Colombia and should be considered armed and dangerous. They added Mosquera Serrano to its Top Ten list in June 2025, calling him the first Tren de Aragua member ever placed on the list.
Outstanding rewards
What you can do:
The U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Mosquera Serrano’s arrest or conviction and up to $4 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Romero.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of Texas.