Charges Filed Against Suspected Gang Member
Federal prosecutors have charged Luis Nino Moncada, an alleged member of the Torren de Aragua gang, for using a vehicle as a weapon against Border Patrol agents.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the charges against Moncada, a Venezuelan national living in the U.S. illegally. It’s claimed that he crashed a law enforcement vehicle into another vehicle during a federal immigration raid in Portland, Oregon, resulting in property damage and injuries to Border Patrol agents.
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated, “The Department of Justice will fight back against anyone who crosses the red line of assaulting law enforcement.” She further emphasized that Moncada, connected to a foreign terrorist organization, should not have been in the country and asserted efforts to ensure he remains incarcerated.
Prosecutors explained that Border Patrol agents were initially focused on the vehicle of another undocumented immigrant, Yorlenis Bezavez Zambrano Contreras, who was suspected of links to the gang. When asked to exit the vehicle, Moncada reportedly reversed it and collided with the agents’ vehicle multiple times.
In self-defense, agents fired back, leading to both Moncada and his passenger being hospitalized. The DOJ noted that agents felt threatened by Moncada’s actions and that he later admitted to deliberately hitting the Border Patrol vehicle as an escape attempt.
Moncada faces charges including aggravated assault on a federal officer and stealing federal property. He reportedly entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was released under the previous administration. Zambrano-Contreras, who illegally entered in 2023, also has a suspected connection to past shootings in the area.
During a recent press conference, Portland Police Chief Bob Day expressed his emotional struggle in discussing the case due to historical concerns about victim-blaming in law enforcement narratives. He recognized the ties between the suspects and the Torren de Aragua gang.
This incident comes amidst a reported increase in violence against federal immigration agents, with 66 vehicle attacks occurring since early 2025. This marks a staggering increase in assaults compared to the previous year.
