Suspected Tren de Aragua Gangbangers Arrested for Armed Robbery Spree in California

Suspects with alleged ties to a Venezuelan terrorist organization have been apprehended amid an investigation into a series of armed robberies in California, authorities say.

On Wednesday, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) announced that five men, most of whom are ‘migrants’ from Venezuela, are facing a slew of charges tied to a violent crime rampage that spanned multiple weeks last year.

On the night of Aug. 4, 2024, three armed men wearing masks robbed a taco stand on a highway outside Mendota, a city in Fresno County.

The thieves grabbed cash and valuables from the business owner and customers, and also stole a Jeep, which they used as a getaway vehicle.

The suspects then carjacked a man 10 minutes later and drove off in his Honda Accord, leaving the stolen Jeep behind.

On Aug. 9, masked men brandishing firearms robbed Shasta Market near the city of Kerman, CA.

They fled the scene in a stolen Ford C-Max which they continued driving for at least a week until they robbed another market in Mendota.

Surveillance images show at least one of the men brandishing an AR-style rifle during that heist.

On Aug. 20, FCSO deputies located the stolen Ford, which had apparently been set ablaze in a rural area of Mendota.

In early January, authorities finally tracked down and arrested two of the suspects, identified as Albert Hinegues, 19, and Anderson Vega, 31.

“In mid-January, detectives developed information that Helan Lopez was at a Motel 6 located at Highway 99 and Shaw Ave. in Fresno. A SWAT operation was carried out to take him into custody,” FCSO explained in a press release.

“During this time, Lopez refused to exit the room. Armed with an AR-15 style rifle, Sanchez pointed it toward the door of the room and pulled the trigger several times. Thankfully, due to a firearm malfunction, none of the rounds fired. Deputies eventually took Sanchez safely into custody.”

A fourth suspect, 25-year-old Aaron Sojo Moreno, was arrested in Colorado and later extradited to Fresno County.

Yan Garcia-Heredia, 22, was apprehended while authorities were serving an unrelated search warrant at a residence in Mendota.

All five are now being held in Fresno County Jail on a variety of felony charges.

“All lived in Mendota, however, Anderson, Yan, Helan and Aaron are originally from Venezuela. Detectives have developed information that they may be connected to Tren de Aragua (T.D.A.), a violent Venezuelan gang,” FCSO said.

An investigation is ongoing.

This article was originally published at InfoWars.com