Charges Dropped in Exchange for Property Sale and Cleanup Commitment
In a significant development, officials in Colorado have agreed to drop all charges against the landlord of the Aspen Grove apartment complex in Aurora, which has been at the center of a violent Venezuelan gang controversy. This decision comes as part of an agreement, according to records obtained by the Denver Gazette.
Agreement details and conditions
The city of Aurora and Nome Partners reached a deal to dismiss multiple charges against the landlord, Baumgarten, for failing to maintain the property. The charges also extend to another property owned by Baumgarten, which was featured in a viral video showing members of Tren de Aragua (TdA), a violent Venezuelan migrant gang, forcibly taking over an apartment using heavy artillery.
According to the agreement, Baumgarten has waived his right to a speedy trial, and Nome Partners LLC has agreed to sell or lease the property. Additionally, the company will pay up to $60,000 to clean up and secure the Aspen Grove complex, as reported by 9News.
Impact of gang activities
Baumgarten’s company has attributed the deterioration of the Aspen Grove apartments to the TdA gang takeover. One investor, speaking to The Denver Post, claimed that the police had been aware of the gang problem for nearly a year. In letters obtained by the Denver Gazette, the investor described the situation as so severe that they sought help from local officials to remove the TdA members, who had “forcibly taken control” of the property.
Efforts to enhance security by hiring off-duty police officers were reportedly declined by the Aurora Police Department. “He was told we didn’t have the staffing to provide adequate security at all his properties,” said Joe Moylan, an Aurora police spokesperson, in a statement to the Gazette.
Legislative response
In response to the growing concerns over gang-related activities, Rep. Greg Lopez (R-Colo.) is urging the Biden administration to take swift action against illegal immigrants involved in gang activities. Last week, Lopez introduced a new bill aimed at combating migrant gangs. If passed, the bill would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary to issue detainers for migrants known by law enforcement to be gang-affiliated.
“Under your leadership, the United States has lost control of our southern border,” Lopez wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. He urged the secretary to “immediately issue a directive” to local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices “to aggressively apprehend, detain and deport any members of TdA or other known foreign criminal gangs, located in the state of Colorado,” with a particular focus on Denver suburbs like Aurora.
Federal and local stances
Federal officials believe that TdA is operating in the metro Denver area, terrorizing several apartment complexes. However, local politicians maintain that concerns about Venezuelan gang members taking over apartment buildings are “overblown” by the media. Aurora law enforcement officials have also denied claims of a gang takeover.
“We’ve been talking to the residents here and learning from them to find out what exactly is going on, and there’s definitely a different picture,” said Interim Aurora Police Chief Heather Morris in a Facebook video, according to USA Today. “I’m not saying that there’s not gang members that don’t live in this community.”
The controversy surrounding the Aspen Grove apartment complex continues to unfold, as residents and officials grapple with the implications of the agreement and the ongoing presence of gang activities in the area.