Tren De Aragua: What to know about Venezuelan terrorist organization multiplying in Houston

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HOUSTON, Texas - Tren De Aragua (TDA) has made its way into headlines over the past several months.

Reports of the gang terrorizing civilians from Colorado to New York detail violent robberies and building takeovers.

The gang's entry point into the U.S. is right here in our backyards, "Harris County is the gateway to the rest of the nation," said Richard Chacon Jr., the Harris County District Attorney's Gang Division Investigator.

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FOX 26 reports reflect the rise our area has seen in their activity.

Related: SEARCH WARRANT alleges Jocelyn Nungaray murder suspects possible members of Tren de Aragua gang

The two men accused of sexually assaulting and murdering a 12-year-old Houston girl are believed to be affiliated with the gang.

Another man was arrested accused of trying to recruit HISD middle school students to commit crimes.

"They have a presence here and make their presence known here in the Houston and Harris County area," said Chacon. "TDA feels like MS-13 2.0."

Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, is an international criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s.

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Chacon was working on the streets of Houston in the time that MS-13 started to infiltrate our city. The organization is known for their brutal machete killings.

"It feels like MS-13 all over again, we experienced that in the 80s 90s," said Chacon. He says though the uprising of TDA feels similar, law enforcement is far better equipped to deal with the activity now.

"We have much more technology now, we police differently - allowing us to put a quicker knit on these things," he said.

He says the gang targets civilians, making it crucial that Houstonians know about the gang's presence.

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"We're on the cusp of the holiday season, people are vulnerable. They're getting together, people have things on their mind, those are the sliver of opportunity that gang members need," he said.

He says the gang made their way to Texas through Mexico after originating in a Venezuelan prison.

"It was an uprising of prisoners that decided to form a gang, that actually started as a friendly union in a sense. That actually did charitable work," he said.

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The nature of the group changed quickly and now, officials are warning residents to stay vigilant.

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"Just like you and I are trying to get bargains and deals with Christmas shopping, they're trying to get the easiest pay off in all aspects - be vigilant and look out for each other," he said.

Saying the DA is working hard to prosecute the cases law enforcement risk their lives to put together.

"We here at this office we try to bring it home and make sure those individuals get serious time so the gen pop can walk freely," he said.

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