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(DCNF)—A Colorado town quickly shot onto the national stage after footage of armed men storming an apartment went viral, but outspoken locals say that Venezuelan gang activity isn’t new and city officials spent months ignoring the problem.
A doorbell camera on Aug. 18 recorded six armed men entering an apartment building, roughly ten minutes before a 25-year-old was shot at the complex and later died from his injuries. Local leaders say the footage prompted the city to finally acknowledge and address what had been percolating for a long time: the emergence of a notorious Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua in Aurora.
Emails obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation suggest that Republican Mayor Mike Coffman dismissed the narrative that problems associated with the apartment buildings were tied to gang activity. CBZ Management, the property management company that owns the apartment complex where the August incident took place, tried warning the mayor and other city officials about the threat of Tren de Aragua, but those warnings came to no avail, the company told the DCNF.
“Zev [Baumgarten] and other people working there did everything possible to get the police to pay attention to the story. They did not,” a representative for the CBZ Management said to the Daily Caller News Foundation, in a conversation that included Zev Baumgarten, who has been described in court documents as the owner of the company. CBZ Management is the owner of several apartment buildings in Aurora that have allegedly been taken over by Tren de Aragua gang members, but the company says they were made out to be the bad guys when they attempted to warn city leaders.
The company told the DCNF that it had no idea what Tren de Aragua was until an employee was viciously attacked while visiting one of its properties to empty out a unit in November 2023. CBZ subsequently hired a security firm to try to get a hold of the situation, but was soon told by the firm that the level of crime was out of their reach and suggested it reach out to the FBI — which the company did.
It was at that meeting with the Department of Homeland Security, FBI and local Aurora police that the company was informed that the crime in the building was connected to Tren de Aragua, according to CBZ. The FBI declined to comment.
Shortly afterward the company related that information to local authorities, but Aurora officials ignored their warnings and instead blamed them for building code violations, according to the CBZ spokesperson.
A spokesperson for Aurora confirmed that this assault took place. Yoendry Vilchez Medina-Jose was arrested Aug. 5 by the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant that stemmed from the November 2023 assault, according to the City of Aurora. The city also confirmed that Medina-Jose is a documented member of Tren de Aragua.
“The City — instead of going after real criminals — they manufactured a criminal in their minds with Zev Baumgarten and went after him,” the CBZ spokesperson said. “We believe the reason they did that was to hide the story.”
“Instead of shutting down a building and saying they’re doing it because of gang activity, they say they’re shutting down a building because of code enforcement violations and the big bad wolf is Zev Baumgarten,” they continued. “He was just a local person they could pin it on.”
It’s not immediately clear when Aurora government leaders began responding to reports that an organized crime syndicate had likely taken over apartment buildings in the city.
Mayor Coffman took to social media on Sept. 11 to confirm that Tren de Aragua had a presence in “specific properties” in the city and that the Venezuelan gang’s activities had “significantly affected” these properties. That confirmation was preceded by other statements to the media on Aug. 29, with Coffman specifically saying that “there are several buildings, actually under the same out-of-state ownership, that have fallen to these Venezuelan gangs.”
“The reality is that the concerns about Venezuelan gang activity in our city – and our state – have been grossly exaggerated and have unfairly hurt the city’s identity and sense of safety,” read a statement from the City of Aurora when the DCNF reached out to the mayor for comment. “The city and state have not been ‘taken over’ or ‘invaded’ or ‘occupied’ by migrant gangs.”
“The incidents that have occurred in Aurora, a city of 400,000 people, have been limited to a handful of specific apartment complexes, and our dedicated police officers have acted on those concerns and will continue to do so,” the statement continued.
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Yet, as recently as early August, Coffman appeared to dismiss claims of the gang’s existence at these buildings, instead painting CBZ as a “problem” that has plagued the city for years with alleged “code violations,” emails obtained by the DCNF via a records request show.
“This building has been a problem for years and the city is taking the owners to court over persistent code violations,” Coffman wrote in an email on Aug. 7. “The owners are contending that they lost control of the building due to gang activity to dodge their responsibility and that is not accurate.”
Coffman was responding to an Aug. 5 email forward originally from Red Banyon, a public relations firm hired by CBZ Management, that claimed that Tren de Aragua had been terrorizing apartment tenants and taken over the property to help facilitate their own criminal affairs. The owners of the apartment complex referenced in Coffman’s email are CBZ Management, the property management firm that owns complexes in Colorado and New York.
Red Banyon did not respond to a request for comment from the DCNF.
Coffman seemingly brushed off a separate report put together by international law firm Perkins Coie, which found that Tren de Aragua gang members likely took over the apartment building. The law firm’s report, which was marked as “confidential,” was derived from multiple witness interviews and a review of available footage and evidence.
The Perkins Coie investigation includes images that purportedly show a CBZ employee being beaten up by gang members in November 2023.
Apartments staff, including housekeepers, were told by Tren de Aragua members that they were “working for” the gang, according to the investigation’s findings. One gang affiliate identified as “Larry” said Tren de Aragua would use vacant rooms for parties, which included drugs and child prostitution.
Responding to fraudulent apartment ads posted by gang members, new tenants to the buildings allegedly began paying rent — unbeknownst to them — directly to the gang, according to the report. One man who failed to pay rent on time was allegedly stabbed by gang members.
The investigative report was delivered via email on Aug. 9 with a message from an associate of the law firm asking the mayor and other city leaders to discuss the firm’s findings. However, a follow-up email from the associate on Aug. 15 asked Coffman and city leaders to confirm whether they had received their report — an indication that the mayor never acknowledged or responded to the law firm during that time.
An additional follow-up email was sent by the associate on Aug. 21 which again asked for city leaders to discuss the investigation’s findings. The DCNF did not find any emails from the mayor’s office that indicated a response was ever given.
The author of the Perkins Coie investigation, Markus Funk, declined to comment when reached by the DCNF.
Three days after that Aug. 15 email message, doorbell footage would be taken that set off national media attention. CBZ, the apartment buildings’ owners, now say the situation is completely out of their hands now.
“Three buildings have been taken over,” CBZ said to the DCNF. “One of [the buildings] was shut down by the city. There’s another two that’s still under control of these gangs.”
“Rent is not coming in, but it’s filled with tenants so it’s going to someone — most likely to these gangs,” CBZ continued.
In response to public accusations from the city that CBZ Management was attempting to dodge their responsibility for code violations by blaming gang activity, the company pointed to the recent closures of major name-brand stores in the area, suggesting that the community as a whole is facing consequences of Tren de Aragua’s wrath.
“Whoever is accusing CBZ of that would have to explain why there’s a Walgreens closing down right next door to these buildings. There’s a Walmart that closed down not long ago right next to these buildings,” their representative said. “They have a lot of things they’ll need to explain.”
Aurora, like many communities across the country, has felt the consequences of the unprecedented border crisis experienced under the Biden-Harris administration. Denver, a major sanctuary city just a few miles away from Aurora, accepted tens of thousands of migrants during the ongoing crisis before it was forced to pull back its services— but not before sending a number of those migrants to Aurora, to the apparent chagrin of the mayor.
Roughly 570,000 Venezuelan nationals have unlawfully crossed the U.S.-Mexico border since the beginning of the Biden administration, according to the latest data from Customs and Border Protection. The White House has additionally authorized around 121,000 Venezuelans to be flown into the country via mass parole program and approved thousands of others via the CBP One app.
Reports of Venezuelan-related crime — organized crime, in particular — began to roll in as the migrant population in the Denver metro area continued to swell, such as when four Venezuelan nationals were indicted for a violent robbery of a Denver-area jewelry store in June, with local reports indicating the organized heist was linked to Tren de Aragua.
Local police confirmed that members of Tren de Aragua — an international crime syndicate that originated in Venezuela — have operated in Aurora. The Aurora Police Department (APD) in September said two men who were arrested for a shootout were affiliated with Tren de Aragua and another two individuals involved in the shooting were suspected of having ties with the gang.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also confirmed that all four of those individuals were Venezuelan nationals who entered the U.S. illegally during the Biden-Harris administration.
APD has identified all six men that were captured in the viral doorbell camera footage. However, it remains to be confirmed if any of those individuals are Tren de Aragua members, with an ICE spokesperson telling the DCNF that they have no additional information yet on those men.
“There has been evidence from the beginning of this,” John Fabbricatore, the Republican candidate for Colorado’s 6th Congressional District, which includes Aurora, said to the DCNF. “City leaders had received emails and letters concerning the growth of Tren de Aragua in certain parts of Aurora, Colorado.”
“Leaders chose to ignore those warnings for political purposes and did not reach out to neighborhood residents to provide a safe and secure environment,” Fabbricatore continued.
The Republican candidate has increasingly sparred with Coffman over the threat of Tren de Aragua in the city. He recently posted a video he took of Coffman on X, which shows the mayor appearing to say that the situation in one area of Aurora had only gotten better because of the presence of private security.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman says he will not attend Trump's rally and hopes that the visit to Aurora will show the former president that his claims are inaccurate. Yet, in a video I took Saturday at MLK library in Aurora, Coffman admits how bad Colfax has gotten behind closed… pic.twitter.com/xLl3DantVu
— John Fabbricatore (@JohnE_Fabb) October 8, 2024
Fabbricatore, who spent a career as an ICE field office director, said that Aurora is handicapped in its ability to fully take on illegal migrant crime because of Colorado’s status as a sanctuary state. Policies signed into law by Democratic Gov. John Polis prevent the Aurora Police Department from fully cooperating with federal immigration authorities — with the problem only being exacerbated by a major sanctuary city such as Denver being just a few miles away.
A slate of Denver suburbs have since been actively considering litigation against the Colorado government for the sanctuary laws, arguing that the policies have only served to protect criminals.
The Colorado governor initially pushed back on allegations that gang members had taken over apartment buildings in Aurora, with a Polis spokesperson claiming in August that “this purported invasion is largely a feature of [Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky’s] imagination.”
In the weeks since the statement was made and more evidence has surfaced of Tren de Aragua’s activity in the City of Aurora, Jurinksy said it was a shame Polis did not do more at the time.
“The truth has been and will continue to come out,” Jurinsky said to the DCNF. “I find it very sad that the Governor couldn’t put politics aside and reach out to another elected official who was asking for help, specifically from him.”
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
