Officials in Colorado have agreed to drop all charges against the landlord of an Aurora apartment complex that has been at the center of a violent Venezuelan takeover gang controversy, according to reports.
In records obtained by the Denver Gazette, the agreement between the city and Nome Partners details that city officials agreed to drop dozens of charges against the landlord of the Aspen Grove apartment complex for failing to maintain the property.
The accusations against the landlord also stem from another property, shown in a viral video in which members of the Tren de Aragua (TdA), a violent Venezuelan migrant gang, took over an apartment by destroying the door with heavy artillery.
The agreement states that in exchange for dropping charges, Baumgarten agreed to waive his right to a speedy trial and Nome Partners LLC agreed to sell or lease the property, and, among other things, pay up to $60,000 in costs to clean up and secure it. Complex, 9News reported.
ICE CONFIRMED AURORA, A COLORADO GANG MEMBER IN THE UNITED STATES ILLEGALLY, WAS MADE BY BIDEN ADMIN
Alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang have taken over an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado, charging rent in exchange for ‘protection.’ (Edward Romero)
Baumgarten’s company also blamed the TdA gang takeover for causing the Aspen Grove apartments to deteriorate into untenable conditions.
One investor told The Denver Post that police knew about the gang problem for almost a year.
In a letter obtained by the Denver Gazette, the investor said the situation had gotten so out of control that local officials asked for help in removing TdA members, who the attorneys claimed were “forcibly occupying” the property.
The property owner also inquired about hiring off-duty police officers to provide security for the property, a request that the Aurora Police Department reportedly denied.
ALLEGED VENEZUELAN GANG TO CALL AURORA, COLORADO APARTMENT STARTS IN 2023: REPORT
Four Venezuelan nationals were confirmed to be in the United States illegally in a statement provided to Fox News by ICE. (Aurora Police Department, Eduard Romero)
“They were told that we do not have the staff to provide adequate security at all properties,” Joe Moylan, an Aurora police spokesman told the Gazette in a statement.
Rep. Greg Lopez, R-Colo., pushed the Biden administration to crack down on the presence of illegal immigrants involved in gangs in the U.S. and introduced a new bill last week to combat migrant gangs.
If passed, the bill would force the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue detentions for migrants known by law enforcement to be affiliated with gangs.
This is one of several bills House Republicans have introduced since reports of crimes by illegal immigrants have piled up in cities and towns across the US.
“Under your leadership, the United States has lost control of our southern border,” Lopez wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Wednesday asking him to “immediately issue a directive” to the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office ” to aggressively arrest, detain and deport members of TdA or other foreign criminal gangs, located in the state of Colorado” with a special focus on Denver suburbs like Aurora.
TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBER ARRESTED IN AURORA, COLORADO IN CONNECTION WITH APARTMENT BUILDING BUILDING: POLICE
Former Congressman and current Mayor of Aurora, Colorado Mike Coffman joined America Reports on Monday to update the nation on the Venezuelan gang in his city. (Edward Romero, Getty Images, Danielle Jurinsky)
“With millions of encounters every year, criminal networks including Tren de Aragua have taken advantage of the situation and wreaked havoc on our communities.”
Illegal immigrants have been accused in various high-profile killings in the US this year, including Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray.
Federal officials believe TdA is operating in the Denver metro area and has damaged several apartment complexes around the city and suburbs. However, local politicians continue to insist that the surrounding “hysteria”. Venezuelan gang members take over the apartment building was “overblown” by the media.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Aurora law enforcement officials also denied there was a gang takeover.
“We’ve been talking to the residents here and learning from them to find out what’s going on, and there’s definitely a different picture,” Interim Aurora Police Chief Heather Morris said in a Facebook video, according to the report. USA Today. “I’m not saying there are no gang members who don’t live in this community.”
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
