The 26-year-old illegal immigrant charged in the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley is listed as “an active member” of a Venezuelan gang, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sources who spoke to The New York Post.
Jose Ibarra, who illegally crossed into the U.S. in 2022 with his then-girlfriend and 5-year-old son, is part of the Venezuelan El Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang, and he has tattoos associated with the group, according to court documents filed in the U.S. Middle District of Georgia.
“Tattoos commonly found on TdA members consist of weapons, stars, clocks, trains, five-pointed crowns, and the dollar sign. Following Ibarra’s arrest on February 23, 2024, photographs were taken of his tattoos. Some of Ibarra’s tattoos suggest that he is a member of TdA,” the court documents stated. “Ibarra has a five-pointed crown tattoo on the left side of his neck, and five-pointed stars on the right side of his neck. Ibarra also has a teardrop tattoo under his right eye – teardrop tattoos are often associated with gangs and gang culture and are not exclusive to TdA, or any single gang.”
After being arrested and detained by Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas, in August 2022, Ibarra was released into the country and told to meet with ICE agents on October 24, 2024, more than two years after he illegally entered the U.S., the Post reported. ICE then reportedly moved its scheduled meeting with Ibarra back to December of 2024.
According to the court documents, Ibarra also posted pictures on social media last month showing him holding a gun even though it is illegal for noncitizens to possess a firearm in the U.S.
A year after Ibarra illegally entered the U.S., he was arrested in New York City by the NYPD for driving a moped with his girlfriend’s young son riding on the back without any helmet or protective restraint. The NYPD then released the illegal immigrant before ICE could issue a detainer for his arrest, according to the Post.
Ibarra then moved to Athens, Georgia, and in December 2023, he and his brother Diego were arrested for allegedly stealing food and clothing from a Walmart. They were both given a citation for misdemeanor shoplifting and let go.
Two months later, 22-year-old Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was found dead after she had gone on a run near the University of Georgia campus. Ibarra was arrested and charged with concealing the death of another, false imprisonment, felony murder, malice murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery in connection to Riley’s death.
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Riley’s murder sparked a national outcry for President Joe Biden to do more to curb the record number of illegal immigrants that have crossed the border under his watch. On Thursday, the Republican-led U.S. House passed the “Laken Riley Act,” a bill that would require federal officials to arrest illegal immigrants who have been charged with theft in the United States.