Victim says Venezuelan politics made him target of Tren de Aragua in Athens

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By Joe Johnson

The 32-year-old victim was punched, kicked and threatened with a rifle during a party last month on Westchester Lane.

The man suffered a broken nose and he claimed that his attackers had identified themselves to him as members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan transnational criminal organization that police have indicated has expanded its presence in Athens-Clarke County.

During the assault, one of the attackers allegedly pointed a rifle at the victim and struck his head with the butt of the weapon.

The victim “stated that he is affiliated with a political party in Venezuela and that is why he believed that he was assaulted” by the suspects.

Arrested for the assault were Gabriel Jose Zerpa-Gonzalez, 31, and Rafael Simon Patino-Silva, 23, both of whom have the same address at Regency Park apartments on Sycamore Drive.

Latino-Silva admitted to police that he fought the but no weapon was used.

Zerpa-Gonzalez claimed he tried to intervene and break up the fight but was not involved in altercation.

Both men denied that they were members of Tren de Aragua.

A gang investigator recently obtained a search warrant to inspect the suspects at the jail to see if they had tattoos that identified them as members of the notorious Venezuelan gang.

Gabriel Jose Zerpa-Gonzalez

Rafael Simon Patino-Silva

The police department would not say whether the gang affiliation was confirmed, citing an ongoing investigation.

Both suspects were charged with aggravated assault and battery and are being detained without bail pending a deportation hearing.