There’s a $3 million reward for information leading to Giovanni Serrano’s arrest and/or conviction.
HOUSTON — For the first time, a member of Tren de Aragua, or TdA, is on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list.
“This is our mission to eradicate TdA out of the Houston area, out of the state of Texas, and out of the United States,” FBI Houston Special Agent In Charge Doug Williams said during a Tuesday afternoon briefing.
Investigators shared a poster featuring 37-year-old Giovanni Serrano, who’s also known as “EL Viejo,” or the old man.
He’s said to be TdA’s No. 2 guy.
Multiple agencies joined FBI Houston to announce Serrano’s addition to the 10 Most Wanted fugitive list.
Tren de Aragua originated in Venezuela, but its presence has picked up in recent years and resulted in the gang being designated as a terrorist organization in Texas and nationwide.
Like other gangs, including MS-13, TdA’s alleged criminal activities include murder, robbery, drug and human trafficking.
We’ve covered arrests here in Houston tied to the gang as recently as February.
“Just a year or so ago, Americans would hear stories about TdA taking over buildings and terrorizing American cities,” US Attorney Nicholas Ganjei said. “Today is a very different day, today we are taking the fight to TdA.”
Investigators said Serrano may have never set foot in Houston or the U.S. himself, but he’s among those calling the shots from afar.
An alleged co-defendant on federal criminal charges was caught earlier this year in Colombia.
“Houston is an international city with connections everywhere, crime is international,” Williams said. “And it is our hope that either there’s someone in the Houston area who may know this individual and know where he is, or that someone overseas sees this today.”
There’s currently a $3 million reward leading to Serrano’s arrest and/or conviction.