The suspect in the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley is showing that Venezuela’s violent gang Tren de Aragua is a family affair.
Both brothers of Venezuelan migrant Jose Ibarra, 26, are now suspected of being involved in the imported prison gang that is wreaking havoc across the US, Homeland Security sources told The Post.
Argenis Ibarra, 24, is the latest brother to be identified as a member of the Tren de Aragua, the sources said. 7 DHS identified Argenis Ibarra as a member of Tren de Aragua, the violent Venezuelan prison gang operating across the country. Argenis Ibarra / Facebook
DHS identified Argenis as an active member of Tren de Aragua in June, sources said. He is currently being held by US Marshals and is awaiting the conclusion of fraud charges.
Tren de Aragua has been exploiting the southern border to bring its members into the US, while recruiting for its criminal enterprises in sanctuary cities across the country, including New York City, where it is reportedly engaging in gun smuggling, snatch-and-grab robberies and attacks on cops.
The Post first identified Laken Riley suspect Jose Ibarra as a member of the gang after his arrest on Feb. 23.
He is accused of attacking and killing the 22-year-old student as she ran on the dirt trails around the University of Georgia in Athens. 7 Nursing student Laken Riley was found dead on the grounds of the University of Georgia after going out for a jog. Allyson Phillips/facebook
He has pleaded not guilty and is set to stand trial on Nov. 18.
Authorities confirmed to The Post that Diego Ibarra, 29, Jose’s older brother, is a member of the gang after he was arrested for carrying a fake green card that he allegedly used to get a job at the University of Georgia.
Separately, Jose faces charges for allegedly peeping on a University of Georgia employee the same day the killing occurred. 7 Jose Ibarra pleaded not guilty in Laken Riley’s murder and is awaiting trial in the case. Clarke County Sheriff?s Office
Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Diego was arrested after being stopped by cops who were looking for his brother following the murder.
Diego has tattoos associated with Tren de Aragua, including a five-point crown on the left side of his neck and a five-pointed stars on the right side of his neck,” according to an arrest report. 7 The NYPD recently put out a bulletin warning cops to look out for members of Tren de Aragua by looking for their signature tattoos. NYPD
He also had photos on his social media showing him posing with guns and throwing up gang signs, authorities said.
He was charged with two counts of possession of a fraudulent document, which he pleaded guilty to last month.
The number of cases federal authorities are investigating over Tren de Aragua is more than “overwhelming,” a source told The Post. 7 Diego Ibarra pleaded guilty to his charges of Green Card fraud. Clarke County Sheriffs Office
Local and federal law enforcement agencies across the country last week received a warning that the gang had given its members the “green light” to shoot cops.
“They’ve been involved in several crimes. We are reminding officers to use zero tolerance if they come across them,” a law enforcement source in El Paso told The Post.
“They are a repeat of when MS-13 started here,” said the source, adding that the gang is engaging in burglaries and card skimming near the border but is mostly moving on to bigger cities. 7 All three of the Ibarra brothers are identified by the Department of Homeland Security as members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua. Jose Ibarra / Tiktok
He allegedly had a fake Green Card and Social Security card when he was caught on Feb. 23.
Riley’s murder sparked national fury about the surge in illegal immigration at the southern border.
The three alleged gangster brothers all entered the US by crossing the border into El Paso, Texas, but at different times. 7 Argenis Ibarra crossed the border illegally twice and was let in the second time. Argenis Ibarra / Facebook
Jose crossed illegally into El Paso on Sept. 8, 2022, accompanied by his girlfriend and her 5-year-old son.
He was released soon after due to a lack of detention space, sources said.
Argenis first entered the US by crossing into Eagle Pass, Texas on April 3, 2023, but was kicked back to Mexico under Title 42, the Trump-era COVID expulsion order, per sources. Start and end your day informed with our newsletters
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Diego crossed that same day in Eagle Pass and was also expelled to Mexico.
Both, however, made subsequent crossings less than a month later in the El Paso region and were released into the country.
Diego’s release came after he allegedly assaulted a border agent which wasn’t prosecuted because officials said he claimed to have “epilepsy,” per sources.
While living in the US, Argenis failed to appear for required check-ins with Homeland Security and had his work permit application rejected, said sources.
The three brothers met up in Athens, Georgia, in November 2023, sources said.
