Venezuelans linked to 'violent cases' were on radar of Aurora authorities months before viral video: emails

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FIRST ON FOX: Authorities in Aurora, Colorado, had traced a surge in Venezuelan-linked crime as early as the summer of 2023 in two apartment blocks, new emails show, nearly a year before the rise of Tren de Aragua (TdA) activity came to light. 

Emails obtained by America First Legal and provided to Fox News Digital show communications between state and local officials about the threat posed by Venezuelan nationals, including those who may have ties to the bloodthirsty Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang.

A February email chain between state and local officials included comments from an Aurora Police Department (APD) official about "possible Venezuelan ties in Aurora." The official mentions two apartment blocks.

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ICE Denver arrest a suspected Venezuelan gang member in Aurora, Colo. (ICE Denver)

"Both of those addresses are currently having Venezuelan refugees placed there and we have had multiple violent cases involving those addresses with Venezuelan suspects since about June of 2023," one email said.

The email chain, of which the subject was "Venezuelans stealing and selling stolen vehicles and using fake plates," included the APD official saying that "it’s difficult to ID people who have no history in the U.S. yet."

The APD would also say in January that a group called the Papagayo Foundation had been allowed "to place Venezuelan refugees in these properties, most likely leading to possible TdA members moving to Aurora according to HSI," referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI).

At another apartment block, the Aurora police crime request said that there had been a "consistent increase" in calls for service from the police, "nearly doubling from 2022 to 2023 and on track to double again between 2023 and 2024."

"APD investigated 41 crimes in 2022, 84 crimes in 2023, and 66 crimes in 2024 through July 31. The crimes included various motor vehicle crimes, robbery, drugs, trespass, sexual assault and aggravated assault," it said, also disputing claims that Aurora police would not patrol the area or send officers to the complex.

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"The city and the APD are also aware of concerns at the national level that members of a Venezuelan prison gang have arrived in the United States and established organized crime cells in cities throughout the country," it said. "APD leadership shares in those concerns and is actively working with law enforcement agencies across the metro area to conclusively determine if indeed there is a connection between metro criminal activity and a specific group or organization."

In a separate document tracking incidents through apartments owned by CBZ management, which owns 11 complexes in Colorado, alleged crimes included an assault on a property manager, the arrest of two men who were armed and allegedly on their way to kill a property manager, a stabbing, and multiple incidents involving armed men. 

Police search for evidence at apartment buildings in Aurora, Colo., on Dec. 17, 2024. (Fox News Digital)

CBZ said last year that TdA members commandeered entire buildings in Aurora by threatening employees and trying to extort them for rent money. Local authorities have said those claims were exaggerated.

"Gangs have taken control of several of our properties in Aurora, Colorado," the company wrote in a thread on X last year. "In an attempt to discredit this fact for political purposes and avoid governmental accountability, some have spread false information about our situation."

Another email in February 2024 outlined how Aurora police contacted ICE HSI to identify suspects who might be in TdA or be Venezuelan, including wearing red No. 23 jerseys or having gang tattoos. 

The revelations come after months of reports about a growing Venezuelan and TdA presence in Colorado and the violent consequences inflicted upon people living there.

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A viral video of alleged Venezuelan gang members carrying guns through an Aurora apartment complex last August put a spotlight on immigration in the Denver area. Now-President Donald Trump visited the city during his re-election campaign last fall, detailing his "Operation Aurora" to expedite the removal of "savage gangs."

Now-Vice President J.D. Vance also addressed the issue last year and had a viral clash with with ABC News' Martha Raddatz, who attempted to downplay the crime Venezuelan crime by saying they were "limited to a handful of apartment complexes."

"Martha, do you hear yourself?" Vance fired back. "Only a handful of apartment complexes in America were taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and Donald Trump is the problem and not Kamala Harris’ open border? Americans are so fed up with what’s going on."

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At the height of the controversy last August, then-interim Aurora Police Chief Heather Morris attempted to downplay the issue, arguing that "gang members" had not "taken over" the apartment complex.

"I’m not saying that there’s not gang members that don’t live in this community," she said. "But what we’re learning out here is that gang members have not taken over this complex."

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But a former resident of the complex, Cindy Romero, disputed that characterization during an appearance on Fox News last year, arguing that the viral incident was in no way an "isolated" one.

"It is not by any means an isolated occurrence, unfortunately. I have months, almost a year and a half worth of footage from six separate cameras," the former resident said, adding that some attempts to call police before suspected gang activity broke out were met with little response "unless something happened."

Alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang took over an apartment building in Aurora, Colo., charging rent in exchange for "protection." (Edward Romero | Aurora Police Department)

Recently, the Trump administration launched an ICE raid in and around Aurora, but leaking of details of the raid is believed to have sent gang members into hiding. Administration officials say the leak is being investigated.

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"Progressive politicians have been gaslighting the American people for the last four years regarding the presence of illegal migrant criminal gangs," Michael Ding, America First Legal counsel, said in a statement.

"While the Trump Administration has immediately gotten to work to clean up our communities, America First Legal will continue to investigate why state and local sanctuaries have not done more to help deport these dangerous individuals," he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Aurora police and the Papagayo Foundation.

Fox News' Christina Coulter contributed to this report.