A Texas hotel could be facing closure after receiving 693 police calls in just two years for suspected illegal and gang-related activity, according to legal documents.
The Gateway Hotel received temporary and permanent orders to suspend operations from the El Paso County Prosecutor's Office after “repeated criminal activity” was found.
“Analysis of the large number of calls for service made to one business and state police reports reveals that Gateway has engaged in repeated criminal conduct in violation of the CPRC and has engaged in additional criminal conduct that contributes to the overall blight this business brings to downtown El Paso,” the El Paso County Attorney's complaint states.
Suspected Tren de Aragua gang member from Aurora, Colorado, released on $1,000 bail
As recently as Aug. 23, police documented the presence of the international gang Tren de Aragua inside the Gateway Hotel building, something the county attorney called “most disturbing.”
The officer's notes for the day read, “The Venezuelan man came out of his room and noticed cooking smoke coming from the room. Firefighters had already warned him not to cook in the room and that he had permission. The man… [sic] With the Tren de Aragua gang.”
Police also noted the property may be a site for prostitution, drug use, gang activity and illegal dumping, according to the complaint.
According to court documents, surveillance footage showed suspected members of the Venezuela-based international crime organization Tren de Aragua partying in front of children and drinking so much that they vomited. (KFOX14/El Paso County Attorney's Office)
The Gateway Hotel was permitted to use the facility under conditions that included only the lobby and first floor until 2018. Its operations for the past six years were conducted without a valid use permit, in direct violation of City of El Paso requirements.
A one-star review of the Gateway Hotel on Yelp describes it as “incredibly filthy, drug and bug infested and on fire.”
The hotel, built in 1903, has failed at least three fire inspections since July, and an aggravated assault incident that occurred at the Gateway on June 16, 2024, indicated “deplorable conditions within the building,” according to the El Paso County Prosecutor's Office.
Police say members of the Tren de Aragua gang have been arrested in Aurora, Colorado, in connection with an apartment takeover.
“Video from the aggravated assault incident shows the horrific conditions inside the premises and the type of activity permitted inside. The video shows dozens of people 'partying' on the third floor of the hotel, drinking, smoking and dancing suggestively in the presence of children,” the lawsuit states. “The video also shows at least one gun being fired and another being used to make threats, men holding knives and another man holding an axe attacking people and causing damage to the hotel in front of security.”
The Tren de Aragua criminal activity at El Paso's Gateway Hotel fits into a dangerous trend of building takeovers occurring across Colorado.
The suspects, who are alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang, were involved in illegal activities including illegal dumping and drug use, according to the El Paso County Prosecutor's Office. (KFOX14/El Paso County Attorney's Office)
Tren de Aragua is an international gang based in Venezuela with approximately 5,000 members. The gang is known for its involvement in illegal drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and possession of unauthorized firearms. Some of the gang's members in the United States are illegal immigrants.
“I want to thank the police for making this operation a success. Tren de Aragua expands its reach across the country every day, and El Paso is clearly a target for this dangerous gang,” Rep. Tony Gonzalez told Fox News Digital. “That's why I've been pushing hard to designate the TDA as a transnational criminal organization and provide security agencies with the tools to disrupt their operations. El Paso has historically been one of the safest cities in the United States, and I am committed to keeping it that way.”
A man believed to be a member of the Venezuela-based international crime organization Tren de Aragua was seen on surveillance cameras at the Gateway Hotel and may be in possession of weapons shared with the El Paso County Prosecutor's Office. (KFOX14/El Paso County Attorney's Office)
Rep. Chip Roy also spoke out, telling Fox News Digital, “The fact that DPS and local El Paso officials had to shut down a hotel due to Venezuelan gang activity shows how pervasive this problem is.”
“We are deeply concerned about the welfare of the families, seniors, veterans and children staying in hotels who will need to be evacuated by 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024,” El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez said in a statement.
Gateway Hotel owner Howard Yuen did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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The Gateway Hotel declined a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
