Tren de Aragua Gang Member Released Multiple Times? Kidnapping, Torture, and Exploiting a Broken System [WATCH]

In a story that underscores the failures of a system ill-prepared to handle escalating threats, a 20-year-old gang member with a history of arrests wreaked havoc in Aurora, Colorado, after being released multiple times by law enforcement.

As reported by The New York Post, Niefred Serpa-Acosta, a self-admitted member of the violent Tren de Aragua gang, has become a glaring example of bureaucratic mismanagement and misplaced priorities.

Acosta’s criminal activity was no secret. Caught on camera breaking into an Aurora apartment with fellow gang members, the incident led to a fatal shooting just weeks after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inexplicably freed him, despite a standing deportation order.

NEW: Tren de Aragua gang member with a deportation order was freed from ICE custody and later caught on video storming an Aurora Colorado apartment

Niefred Serpa-Acosta, 20, was in ICE custody after two theft arrests but was released on July 17 despite a judge’s deportation… pic.twitter.com/0WaMjdvzNR

— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) September 27, 2024

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This week, Acosta and eight other gang members faced fresh charges for a December kidnapping and torture case in Aurora. The allegations include second-degree kidnapping, first-degree assault, aggravated robbery, and more.

Meanwhile, three suspects remain on the run.

Acosta’s trouble with the law began in December 2022 when he was apprehended crossing the border illegally into El Paso, Texas—an entry point for Tren de Aragua operations. Although he agreed to be deported to Mexico, ICE failed to act, releasing him instead.

🧵🧵🧵THREAD: (1/2) This is the story of a Tren de Aragua gangbanger who was arrested and released FOUR times before cops in Colorado finally took him seriously. @nypost https://t.co/oFQxOP2yFm

— Jennie Taer 🎗️ (@JennieSTaer) January 15, 2025

From there, his encounters with law enforcement escalated:

• June 2023: Arrested for theft in Lakewood, Colorado, only to be released again.
• April 2024: Arrested for theft in Fort Collins, Colorado, and once more let go.
• May 2024: Apprehended in Castle Rock for resisting an officer and obstructing police. ICE took him into custody, but within weeks, inexplicably released him again, despite his gang affiliations and a deportation order.

By August 2024, Acosta appeared in a viral video storming an Aurora apartment alongside armed gang members. That event ended with a deadly shooting and served as a grim reminder of the escalating threat Tren de Aragua poses nationwide.

In December, police finally apprehended Acosta in an Aurora apartment while he was disguised in women’s clothing. The arrest stemmed from a case where Acosta and his accomplices allegedly kidnapped and tortured a couple, tying them up and pistol-whipping them.

During the ordeal, the gang ransacked the victims’ apartment, making off with stolen items.

Despite ICE’s awareness of Acosta’s gang ties—complete with incriminating tattoos and an explicit admission—he was released back into the public.

A month later, he was involved in violent crimes that left a community scarred and a local apartment complex ordered to shut down for endangering public safety.

Acosta is now back in ICE custody, but questions about the agency’s previous handling of his case remain unanswered.