A Venezuelan national and suspected member of the notorious Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization has pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegally possessing firearms and conspiring to destroy evidence, following an investigation led by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and federal partners.
The defendant, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, 23, was arrested after an anonymous tip led authorities to social media posts showing him handling and shooting various weapons. The case also raised concerns after it was revealed Ortega-Lopez had been residing at the home of a prominent Albuquerque-area family.
The Investigation and Charges
According to court documents, Ortega-Lopez illegally entered the United States near Eagle Pass, Texas, on December 15, 2023, where he was briefly detained by U.S. Border Patrol before being released on his own recognizance two days later, pending the outcome of his immigration case.
In January 2025, HSI received a tip that Ortega-Lopez, who was living in Las Cruces at the time, was in possession of firearms. Investigators discovered numerous photos and videos on his Facebook and TikTok accounts…