Police in Aurora, Colo., have charged three suspects from a viral video that showed heavily armed men breaking into an apartment — a clip that made the Denver suburb a by-word for the spread of migrant crime.
One of the men has now admitted that he’s a member of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, federal law enforcement sources told The Post — despite local cops saying none of the men were connected to the gang.
Niefred Serpa-Acosta, 20, fessed up during an interview with immigration authorities after he was asked if he had any gang affiliation by immigration officers — and has Tren de Aragua’s signature crown tattoos to prove it, the sources said.
All three have lengthy rap sheets in Colorado, sources said.
The crew was seen wielding guns in the shocking surveillance video taken in late August at a Colorado apartment complex that was overrun by the violent Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua as they broke into a unit.
Then, 10 minutes later, they were allegedly involved in a shooting that left one person dead, according to CBS Denver.
The two other suspects are Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, 25, and Naudi Lopez Fernandez, 21, both of whom crossed the border illegally last year and were quickly released in to the US, according to sources.
The pair also had multiple arrests in Colorado, but there is no confirmed evidence that they are members of the gang.
Acosta has been arrested at least three times in Colorado in the last two years, sources said.
He was first arrested in June 2023 for theft, then in April 2024 for theft and then again in May for theft, resisting arrest and obstructing an officer, per sources.
It is unclear why he was let go each time.
Acosta initially entered the US by crossing the border into El Paso, Texas, illegally in December 2022, then volunteered to leave and turned back to Mexico, according to sources.
It is not clear when he reentered the US.
Acosta is currently in ICE custody and is set to appear before an immigration judge Wednesday.
Three other people seen in the viral video have yet to be identified and are believed to be at large.
Aurora police Chief Todd Chamberlain recently told reporters that cops haven’t found ties to any gangs among the suspects, but emphasized that it’s difficult to figure out who is part of Tren de Aragua, and who isn’t.
“Many of these individuals we’re talking about come from a country which does not have a strong relationship with the United States, come from a country that does not have a database that they are going to share,” he said.
Migrants, many of them from Venezuela, have poured into the city of 400,000 from the sanctuary city of Denver next door — and gang members have come with them.
Last month, the city launched a task force to combat Tren de Aragua.
The former ICE director in Denver, John Fabbricatore, told The Post that sanctuary laws that limit local law enforcement’s communications with ICE in Colorado are to blame.
“More information continues to come out about Tren de Aragua growing their presence in Aurora and throughout Colorado. Because of sanctuary jurisdiction, the local police are missing out on important intelligence and information gathering being conducted by ICE,” Fabbricatore, who is now running to represent Colorado in Congress, said.
“The sanctuary jurisdiction is aiding TdA and they know they can get away with more in Colorado than other states,” he added.
Neither the Aurora Police Department nor ICE responded to requests for comment.
