A suspected gang member arrested last week in Houston was previously wanted by police for stealing $3,400 worth of women’s underwear.
Jorgenys Robertson Cova, 32, a Venezuelan national who Texas DPS says is in the U.S. illegally, has been arrested in at least two states for retail theft, according to records obtained by Eyewitness News.
DPS agents say they believe Cova is a member of the violent Venezuela-based Tren de Aragua gang – or TdA – because of tattoos on his arms.
Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a proclamation declaring the gang a foreign terrorist organization.
“TdA is notorious for their brutal violence and murder and their kidnapping,” Abbott said at a news conference announcing the move.
DPS has launched a statewide crackdown on the TdA gang, and Cova was arrested Oct. 7 for a misdemeanor theft warrant out of Pearland. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
In July 2023, he was arrested for stealing almost $4,000 worth of clothing and sunglasses from the Houston Saks. Cova was released on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond.