Venezuelan Gang Takes over Colorado Apartment Complex: Frontlines Report
Photo obtained by TPUSA Frontlines
The TPUSA Frontlines Team investigated an ongoing incident involving a Venezuelan gang known as “Tren de Aragua” and its takeover of the Whispering Pines apartments located in the Aurora area of Denver.
According to documents obtained by the Frontlines team, the gang’s assumption of the Denver property began in November of 2023. Despite the arrest of a few of its members suspected of crimes, Tren de Aragua appears to have a stranglehold on the tenants of Whispering Pines with illegal activities taking place in the apartments. Some tenants have been violently forced out or extorted. The gang has also been accused of human trafficking, sexual abuse of minors, and unlawful possession of firearms.
CBZ Management, which owns Whispering Pines apartments, hired Perkins Coie law firm to investigate the gang activity within the apartment. Perkins Coie assembled its findings into a legal document which was sent to the police and the city of Aurora.
Frontlines obtained the document through a FOIA request and highlighted some of the more disturbing events that have taken place since Tren de Aragua took over the apartment complex.
Two videotape images show members of the property management team confronting members of the gang and subsequently getting beaten.
Allegedly, Tren de Aragua forced some rent-paying tenants out of their apartments and replaced the residents with migrants. Those not forced out were extorted for rent payments.
As the gang took over, apartment conditions deteriorated and gang members walked around the apartments with firearms.
The document also alleges that the gang hosted parties with child prostitutes and drugs.
In response to these activities, the property manager called the Aurora Police Department. Officers showed up late to the scene and presumably were unable to make any significant arrests.
Aurora Mayor Michael Brannen declined to talk to Frontlines on camera about the incident but sent the following written statement instead.
A gang member suspected of crimes at an unspecified CBZ Management property was arrested in July. Other arrests were made along with gun seizures. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation also created a “special task force to investigate violent crime impacting migrants and other communities in the Denver metro area.”
The mayor concluded his letter by stating that the city was unable to share details and information from an active investigation into the activities taking place at Whispering Pines.
Despite the evidence provided by Perkins Coie, the Aurora Police Department denies that the Whispering Pines apartments have been taken over by Tren de Aragua, or that the gang is extorting residents for rent money. They do accuse the apartment management of neglect. Moreover, the city is taking legal action against Zev Baumgarten, owner of CBZ Management, for long-term neglect and code violations.
