The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), working with Colombian law enforcement, has successfully extradited a suspect thought to be a key figure in the infamous Venezuelan criminal group known as Torren de Aragua. Jose Enrique Martínez Flores, who is 24 and from Venezuela, is on his way to Houston, Texas, to face serious drug distribution and terrorism charges.
Martinez-Flores had his initial court appearance on Friday. The charges include giving material support to a foreign terrorist organization along with significant drug trafficking offenses, as noted by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Also referred to as “Chuki,” he is accused of being a leader within the notoriously violent Torren de Aragua gang.
On Thursday, FBI Director Kash Patel posted on social media, identifying Martinez Flores as “the highest-ranking member of Torren de Aragua (TdA) ever brought to trial.” This marks the first instance of a suspected TdA member facing terrorism-related charges and being extradited to the United States, he mentioned, crediting President Trump’s executive order from last summer that designated the group as an FTO (Foreign Terrorist Organization).
Martinez-Flores is reportedly based in Bogotá, Colombia, and is believed to be closely associated with top executives of the Torren de Aragua. He was arrested in Colombia over a year ago after a preliminary arrest warrant was issued upon a request from the United States.
According to the charges laid against him, Martinez-Flores provided essential aid and support to the gang—not just personally, but also in terms of services. The indictment claims he was involved in an international drug distribution conspiracy aimed at shipping over five kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to the United States, with the proceeds benefiting the gang.
A federal grand jury in Houston announced a second superseding indictment in December 2025 against several other suspected leaders of Torren de Aragua, as reported by Bob Price of Texas. Alongside Martinez-Flores, the indictments include 48-year-old Johan Jose Romero, known as “Johan Petrica,” 45-year-old Juan Gabriel Rivas Nuñez, or “Juancho,” and 38-year-old Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, alias “El Viejo,” who is accused of conspiring to aid Venezuelan gangs. Mosquera Serrano is also linked to the international drug charges against Martinez Flores.
If found guilty, Martinez-Flores could face life imprisonment and a substantial fine of up to $10 million.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. McDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz from the Southern District of Texas, along with Deputy Chief David C. Smith and Trial Attorneys James Keller and Kelly McGann from the Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV).
The Balkans Task Force, set up by the Department of Justice in 2019 to tackle the Mara Salvatrucha MS-13 gang in El Salvador, was directed in February 2025 to also target the Torren de Aragua gang. This task force includes multiple federal prosecutors’ offices across the U.S. and collaborates with various federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI, DEA, ICE, BATF, USSMS, and CBP.
According to the DOJ, the extradition was made possible due to the cooperative efforts of Colombian authorities, including the Colombian National Police, the Colombian Attorney General’s Office, and the Department of Justice’s Office of the Judicial Attache in Bogotá, along with the Department of International Affairs.
