Officials in Colorado have agreed to drop all charges against the landlord of the Aurora apartment complex that was taken over by the violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. The charges against the landlord, Baumgarten, stemmed from his failure to maintain the property, which was shown in a viral video where members of the gang took over an apartment by breaking down the door with heavy artillery. In an agreement between the city and Nome Partners, the charges were dropped in exchange for Baumgarten waiving his right to a speedy trial and agreeing to sell or lease the property. He also agreed to pay up to $60,000 for the costs to clean up and secure the complex.
Baumgarten’s company blamed the Tren de Aragua gang takeover for causing the Aspen Grove apartment complex to deteriorate into unlivable conditions. It was revealed that police had known about the gang problem at the property for nearly a year. Investors reached out to local officials seeking help to remove the gang members who had taken control of the property. The property’s landlord also inquired about hiring off-duty police officers for security, but the Aurora Police Department declined, citing staffing limitations. Rep. Greg Lopez, a Colorado Republican, is urging the Biden administration to crack down on illegal immigrants involved with gangs in the U.S. He introduced a bill to combat migrant gangs and compel the Department of Homeland Security to issue detainers for migrants known to be affiliated with gangs.
Lopez’s bill is one of several introduced by House Republicans in response to reports of crime by illegal immigrants in cities across the U.S. The bill would require the DHS secretary to issue detainers for migrants affiliated with gangs. Lopez called on the DHS secretary to direct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to apprehend, detain, and deport members of Tren de Aragua and other known criminal gangs in Colorado, with a focus on Denver suburbs like Aurora. Illegal immigrants have been accused of high-profile killings in the U.S., including cases involving Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray. Federal officials believe Tren de Aragua is operating in the Denver area, terrorizing apartment complexes, but local politicians insist that concerns about gang takeovers are overblown.
Despite reports of gang activity in Aurora, law enforcement officials deny that there has been a gang takeover in the area. Interim Aurora Police Chief Heather Morris stated in a Facebook video that they have been speaking with residents to understand the situation better and that there is not a widespread gang takeover. Officials continue to investigate the situation and gather information from residents to assess the extent of gang activity in the area. The media has been criticized for hyping concerns about Venezuelan gang members taking over apartment buildings, with officials insisting that the situation is not as dramatic as portrayed. The Aurora Police Department is working to address any gang-related issues in the community and ensure the safety of residents.
