Key facts
- Four members of the Tren de Aragua gang pleaded guilty to murdering two Americans in New York City.
- The gang members illegally entered the U.S. and are accused of engaging in violence, drug trafficking, and sex trafficking.
- The victims were identified as Claretha LaQuesha Daniels, 44, and Justin Lawless, 36.
- A fifth TdA member pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and carjacking.
- Tren de Aragua is described as a transnational terrorist organization originating from Venezuela.
Federal authorities announced that four members of the Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) have pleaded guilty to the May 2024 murders of two unarmed American citizens in New York City. The gang members, who reportedly entered the U.S. illegally, are accused of fatally shooting Claretha LaQuesha Daniels, 44, and Justin Lawless, 36, on a Bronx street, and wounding a third victim. Keiber Martinez, Samuel Gonzalez Castro, Eferson Morillo-Gomez, and Keineyer Ibarra-Mujica pleaded guilty in federal court to murder through the use of a firearm and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. A fifth TdA member has already pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and a gunpoint carjacking, bringing the total number of convicted TdA defendants in this case to eight. U.S. officials described Tren de Aragua as a dangerous transnational criminal organization involved in human smuggling, armed robberies, drug trafficking, and sex trafficking. The gang allegedly forces women into commercial sex work to pay off smuggling debts and maintains control through threats and violence. The convicts face a maximum sentence of life in prison.