FBI: Tren de Aragua leader first extradited for terrorism

Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, 24, was scheduled to appear in a Houston federal court Friday morning to face charges that he served as a high-ranking leader in the Tren de Aragua gang. He is accused of providing material support to a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, along with drug trafficking offenses, according to the Justice Department. He is considered legally innocent until proven guilty in court.

Flores arrived in Houston Thursday evening after Colombian authorities arrested him and assisted in his extradition, according to a social media post by FBI Director Kash Patel. He is the first member of Tren de Aragua to be charged with terrorism crimes and brought to the United States for prosecution, Patel said. President Donald Trump designated the gang a foreign terrorist organization last year.

If convicted, Flores could face a maximum penalty of life in prison along with a $10 million fine, according to the Justice Department. U.S. and Colombian authorities were still seeking three other Tren de Aragua leaders, including Mosquera Serrano, who was on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list, according to the Justice Department.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on the Justice Department’s prosecution of a Greek Orthodox priest accused of embezzlement.