A suspected member of the infamous Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) is in federal detention for allegedly attempting to kill one law enforcement officer and injuring another during a traffic check.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, 30, is charged with one count of attempted murder of a federal officer and one count of assault with bodily injury.
According to federal prosecutors, Hurtado-Cariaco, a Venezuelan native living in the country illegally and a suspected member of the renowned TdA gang, attacked two law enforcement officers during a traffic check in Bellevue, Nebraska, on June 18.
“Deadly violence against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated by this Department of Justice,” Attorney General Pam Bondi stated. “We have charged this illegal alien with attempted murder.”
Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI approached Hurtado-Cariaco outside his Sarpy County home while attempting to carry out an active immigration-related warrant for his arrest, according to the DOJ.
The agents then launched a traffic stop, instructing Hurtado-Cariaco to stop his vehicle and out with his arms raised. As the agents attempted to handcuff Hurtado-Cariaco, he allegedly attacked one of them and dragged them to the ground.
Hurtado-Cariaco allegedly threw the agent off of him, resulting in one agent hurting her head and elbow on the pavement.
“[The agent] injured her head and elbow, but [she] rose up off the ground and began to try again to get Hurtado-Cariaco into federal custody,” according to the criminal lawsuit.
A second agent attempted to detain Hurtado-Cariaco, and both agents worked together to place handcuffs on him, culminating in a “more violent reaction” in which the three persons tumbled to the ground in the altercation.
Hurtado-Cariaco moved behind the injured agent and placed her in a chokehold while ignoring the second agent’s directions, according to the DOJ.
“Hurtado-Cariaco appeared to choose to continue choking [the agent] rather than simply flee the scene,” according to the allegations.
In an attempt to stop the attack, the second agent also choked Hurtado-Cariaco, compelling him to release the injured agent. Hurtado-Cariaco allegedly broke free from the chokehold and fled on foot, and authorities apprehended him at his adjacent flat.
“aggression against federal law enforcement officials in the line of duty will not be accepted in Nebraska,” U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods said in a statement. “These federal agents maintained their professionalism while being met with potentially fatal aggression. Despite their injuries, the agents persevered and made a successful arrest.
Following Hurtado-Cariaco’s arrest, the injured agent was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Hurtado-Cariaco was ordered to remain in federal custody and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. He first entered the United States illegally in 2023 and was deported by Border Patrol authorities, but he returned in 2024, a Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital.
“The arrest and prosecution of this vicious Tren de Aragua gang member underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our law enforcement officers in the line of duty,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “Violent attacks from terrorists against those who serve our communities will be met with swift and decisive justice.”