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A suspected member of the violent Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) is in federal custody after allegedly attempting to kill one law enforcement officer and injuring another during a traffic stop.
Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, 30, is charged with one count of attempted murder of a federal officer and one count of assault of a federal officer with infliction of bodily injury, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Federal prosecutors allege Hurtado-Cariaco, a Venezuelan national residing in the country illegally and a suspected member of the notorious TdA gang, attacked two law enforcement officers during a June 18 traffic stop in Bellevue, Nebraska.
“Violence against federal law enforcement officers in the line of duty will not be tolerated in Nebraska,” U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods said in a statement, adding, “These federal agents maintained their professionalism while being met with potentially fatal violence. Despite sustaining injuries, the agents did not give up and made a successful arrest.”
Following Hurtado-Cariaco’s arrest, the injured agent was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Hurtado-Cariaco has been ordered to remain in federal custody and faces the possibility of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. He initially entered the U.S. illegally in 2023 and was removed by Border Patrol agents, but re-entered the country in 2024, a Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Hurtado-Cariaco’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
“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.”