Men Indicted for
Carjacking Are Tren de Aragua US
Says Phones Locked Trial Nov 3
in SDNY
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY
COURTHOUSE,
Feb 3 – A defendant charged
with conspiracy to commit
carjacking as part of the Tren
de Aragua gang was presented
on December 12 before U.S.
District Court for the
Southern District of New York
Magistrate Judge Robyn F.
Tarnofsky. Inner City Press
was there, the only media in
the SDNY Mag Court.
The
defendant Samuel Castro
repeatedly turned and gestured
to the law enforcement
officials in the back of the
courtroom; his Criminal
Justice Act appointed lawyer
said he wanted medicine for
his ear.
He had
arrived from immigration
detention after being arrested
on November 6.
On December 12
Castro was detained on consent
on the conspiracy
charges.
On January 17,
2025 co-defendant Jarwin
Valero Calderon came from the
MDC to the Magistrates Court,
with his CJA lawyer seeking
release on bond. Inner City
Press was there. Thread:
AUSA: We found
photos on defendants' phones,
in this document of four
left hands holding guns, one
is purple on the bottom.
Judge: I have only a black and
white copy here.
[Color copy
handed up] AUSA: He was
stopped at the border
illegally entering. He was
released from immigration
custody with an ankle
bracelet, pending a hearing.
He was later arrested in
Florida and ordered removed to
Venezuela. But they wouldn't
take him.
AUSA: Due
to lack of bed space he was
released again with an ankle
bracelet... Then the car
jacking, in front of 1790
Prospect. Defendant was in the
building, he jumped out of a
window to try to evade arrest
and throw away his phone.
Defense
lawyer: We are requesting
release. He can't flee to
Venezuela, "unless things
change politically down
there."
Judge: TDA
is a serious criminal
organization. There was the
October 2024 threat-call, and
surveillance video. Yes, he
was working for DoorDash. This
is his fourth arrest here,
including a larceny conviction
in Nassau County
Judge: All the
rest of his family is in
Venezuela. I order you to
continue to be detained
The case is USA
v. Gonzalez Castro, et al.,
1:25-cr-41 (Cote)
***
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