SE Wyoming News

An illegal alien with suspected gang ties was taken into federal custody Friday following his release from a Wyoming jail. 

Elizandro Rafael Gonzalez-Perez, 23, had just served a five-month sentence for unauthorized use of a vehicle.

According to Cowboy State Daily, Gonzalez-Perez was transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody around 10 a.m. Friday from the Laramie County Detention Center, according to Sheriff Brian Kozak. The transfer occurred within the 48-hour window allowed under current county policy for holding inmates for federal immigration authorities.

Gonzalez-Perez entered the United States illegally near Paso Del Norte, Texas, in October 2022, according to ICE officials. While initially instructed to report to an ICE facility near Austin, Texas, he was later arrested in Wyoming on vehicle theft charges involving a 2005 Toyota Highlander allegedly stolen from the Colorado Springs area.

Through a plea agreement reached Wednesday, Gonzalez-Perez's original felony theft charge, which carried a potential 10-year sentence, was reduced to a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized use of a vehicle. He was released with time served. 

During his incarceration, law enforcement identified Gonzalez-Perez as a suspected member of the Tren de Aragua gang, a Venezuelan criminal organization that has recently made headlines for violence in Aurora, Colorado. Sheriff Kozak noted that gang-related graffiti in the suspect's cell, certain tattoos, and personal admissions supported this connection, though he emphasized that this isolated case did not indicate gang infiltration of Wyoming. 

Federal prosecutors may consider charging Gonzalez-Perez with illegal entry, which carries penalties of up to six months for a first offense or two years for subsequent violations. In addition to his jail time, Gonzalez-Perez was ordered to pay various fees, including $150 to the state's victim compensation fund and additional court-related charges.