Federal authorities have arrested Yonaiker Gallegos, a Venezuelan national and high-ranking member of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang, in Los Angeles County. Gallegos gained attention after flaunting grenades and an AR-15 rifle on social media, prompting federal agents to launch a targeted investigation.
Operating under the alias “Yoniaker Rafel Martinez-Ramos,” Gallegos was initially taken into state custody on minor charges. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) then identified him using facial recognition and gang tattoo analysis, confirming his ties to Tren de Aragua. He was officially arrested on April 25 under Title 8 immigration authority and is now in federal custody.
Gallegos’s capture is part of a broader nationwide crackdown on Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan cartel that has expanded rapidly throughout the United States. In February 2025, the Trump administration formally designated the group as a foreign terrorist organization, unlocking additional tools for law enforcement to target its leadership and dismantle its networks.
The Department of Justice has charged 27 members of the gang with crimes including racketeering, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, robbery, and weapons violations. Federal authorities say the group is involved in a wide range of transnational crimes, including operating human smuggling corridors and underground criminal clubs.
In one recent operation, more than 100 individuals linked to the gang were taken into custody during a multi-agency raid at an illegal nightclub in Colorado. The sweep resulted in the seizure of narcotics, weapons, and large amounts of cash. Agencies involved included the FBI, ICE, DEA, IRS, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The administration is also pursuing expedited deportations of confirmed Tren de Aragua members using emergency powers under the Alien Enemies Act. Many are being transferred to El Salvador’s high-security Terrorism Confinement Center, although the legal framework for these transfers is being challenged in court by left-wing advocacy groups.
Federal officials say Gallegos’s arrest sends a clear message that the U.S. will not tolerate foreign criminal enterprises operating on American soil. The case also highlights the importance of digital surveillance and intelligence-sharing in identifying and intercepting gang leadership before they can further expand operations or commit additional violence.
The Trump administration has pledged continued aggressive action against the group, promising that this is only the beginning of a much larger effort to root out Tren de Aragua and similar foreign criminal networks.