Ten alleged gun runners and members of the notorious Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang were indicted in Queens this week, with law enforcement officials warning that they posed serious dangers to the public, police, and even their own families.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, and NYPD officials outlined the alleged criminal activities of ten suspected members of the TDA gang, who were indicted in a sweeping 120-count case. Authorities described the suspects’ actions as brazen and dangerous, highlighting their alleged involvement in gun and drug trafficking.
Among those indicted is Rosemary Sanchez, who is accused of selling firearms and narcotics while openly flaunting her illicit earnings. Prosecutors allege she posted an Instagram photo of her 20-day-old infant lying atop a pile of cash made through the criminal enterprise. When officers attempted to arrest her, Sanchez barricaded herself inside her residence, where police later recovered cocaine. Law enforcement safely rescued the newborn, who was placed in the custody of the Administration for Children’s Services.
Another suspect, Wrallan Meza, allegedly attempted to evade arrest by injuring an officer during the investigation. According to Chief of Detectives Joseph Kelly, Meza trapped an officer between a door, forcibly slammed it shut, and fractured the officer’s arm so severely that surgery will be required. As a result, Meza now faces additional charges related to the assault.
Prosecutors also identified Meza and co-defendant Enyerbert Blanco as key figures in the gang’s operations. Both men allegedly entered the United States through the southern border and played leadership roles within the organization. The defendants, all of whom hail from Venezuela, are linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, a group notorious for its violent reputation in South America.
The trail of violent behavior stemmed from an investigation more than a year in the making, according to Katz.
“Working with the NYPD, we became aware of gun trafficking in the city of New York. As the investigation progressed, we became aware that self-admitted TDA members were trafficking weapons on a large scale, and their criminality extended well beyond the five boroughs and included Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, Colorado,” Katz said during a Wednesday afternoon press conference.
In an effort to showcase just how prevalent the gang’s gun sales are, officials laid out a large table inside the DA’s office topped with firearms — one of which was a ghost gun.
Police recovered 34 guns, including two assault rifles, and 48 grams of tusi or “pink cocaine” — a drug cocktail containing MDMA and ketamine, and was dyed pink.
“Eight Tren de Aragua gang members were arrested for criminal sale of firearms, two additional members, who have been indicted, remain outstanding,” Police Commissioner Tisch said.
The indictment came days after President Trump reignited deportation efforts nationwide, resulting in ICE raids from coast to coast in which more than 3,600 people were apprehended. Some 20 individuals in the Bronx were taken into custody in an ICE raid in the Bronx on Tuesday, each of them accused of committing a violent crime, according to federal authorities and the NYPD.
In this case, however, Katz said she does not expect the individuals to be handed over to ICE for potential deportation.
“My job is to make sure that I get the guns off the street and hold people accountable. From my perspective, they will stay here. They will stand trial. They will serve their time,” Katz said.
The 120-count indictment includes criminal sale of a firearm, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and conspiracy.
While two of the defendants have yet to be apprehended, alleged ringleader Enyerbert Blanco was charged with human trafficking involving a 15-year-old girl and has been in custody in Florida since October. Oscar Sosa is also in custody in Brooklyn for an unrelated firearms trafficking charge.
