Alleged member of the Aragua train gang accused of illegal possession of firearms

Miami, Florida (CBS12) – A Venezuelan immigrant, who is also an alleged member of the violent gang Train of Aragua (TDA), has been accused of having a firearm as an illegal foreigner by Federal Miami prosecutors.

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) said Luis Ernesto Veliz Riera, a 23 -year -old Venezuelan citizen, has been accused by the DOJ for having a firearm as an illegal foreigner, a federal crime. Veliz Riera appeared before a magistrate judge in the South District of Florida after his arrest.

According to an affidavit of unusual criminal complaint, Veliz Riera entered the United States on the border of Mexico-El Paso, Texas, in February 2023. He used the customs application system and border edge protection to reserve an online appointment. This system, which was closed on January 20, 2025, allowed undocumented aliens to send information and program appointments in border entrance ports.

Upon entering, the Department of Justice said that Veliz Riera received a notice to appear for an immigration hearing in Las Vegas, Nevada, which he did not attend. Instead, he remained in El Paso, hoping his girlfriend illegally cracked from Mexico. The couple then traveled to Chicago, in New York City, and finally settled in Homestead, Florida.

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On April 30, 2024, an immigration judge ordered the removal of Veliz Riera from the United States after he did not appear before the court. On October 17, 2024, during an investigation into the possible activity of train gangs of Aragua, the Local Police arrested a car driven by Veliz Riera. The checks revealed that it was sought by a state crime order and was in the country illegally. An additional investigation discovered that he had a PT609 Pro 9 mm Taurus gun loaded in his hotel room.

Veliz Riera was arrested for state charges on October 17, 2024, and was then put in immigration arrest. He was released to the community in electronic monitoring, but was restructured on February 3, 2025 by national security research and customs control and customs control to reevaluate his release.

On February 14, 2025, Miami federal prosecutors accused Veliz Riera of a position of possessing a gun as an illegal foreigner. During his initial appearance of the Federal Court, Veliz Riera agreed to remain in the custody of the prison office waiting for trial.

The case is being investigated by the Fort Lauderdale office of HSI-MIAMI, with the assistance of multiple local and federal agencies.

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