27 Charged in Bronx Murders, Sex Trafficking Linked to Tren de Aragua Gang

Federal prosecutors allege members of Anti-Tren splinter group committed violent crimes in New York, New Jersey, and beyond.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have charged 27 people described as members and associates of a splinter faction of the Tren de Aragua gang in a superseding indictment, including two Bronx homicides and other crimes such as murder-for-hire, kidnapping, and sex trafficking.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing threat posed by transnational criminal gangs like Tren de Aragua, which have established a presence in the U.S. and are linked to a wide range of violent and exploitative activities. The charges also demonstrate federal authorities' efforts to dismantle these organizations through sweeping racketeering prosecutions.

The details

The 38-count superseding indictment names defendants whom prosecutors identified as members or affiliates of the Anti-Tren gang that emerged from Tren de Aragua, which federal authorities previously designated a foreign terrorist organization. Prosecutors used racketeering conspiracy or RICO statutes to tie the group to crimes including two Bronx homicides, murder-for-hire, kidnapping, sex trafficking, and more.

  • On April 15, 2024, Jhombeyker Jose Bisbal Pina and Adrian Mendoza Isturiz were shot to death in a vehicle near 279 East 149th Street in the Bronx.
  • In January 2025, several defendants were charged with conspiring to rob a drug dealer at gunpoint in the Bronx.
  • On January 30, 2025, Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco was arrested on charges of being a fugitive from justice with a firearm.

The players

Tren de Aragua

A prison gang that started in and grew beyond Venezuela, which federal authorities previously designated as a foreign terrorist organization.

Anti-Tren

A splinter faction of Tren de Aragua that prosecutors say is "almost exclusively comprised of former members and associates" of the original gang, including groups like the "Espartanos."

Yender Maykier Mata, Ervin Hernandez, and Kerlyn Nataliy Perez-Lopez

Defendants charged with conspiring to kill Jhombeyker Jose Bisbal Pina and Adrian Mendoza Isturiz in the Bronx.

Keiswuel Orlando Palacios-Milano, Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, Mario Pereda, Avendano Carrizalez, and Carlos Gabriel Santos Mogollon

Defendants charged with conspiring to rob a drug dealer at gunpoint in the Bronx.

Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco

Defendant arrested on charges of being a fugitive from justice with a firearm.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing threat posed by transnational criminal gangs like Tren de Aragua, which have established a presence in the U.S. and are linked to a wide range of violent and exploitative activities. The charges demonstrate federal authorities' efforts to dismantle these organizations through sweeping racketeering prosecutions.