Member of the terrorist organization Tren de Aragua, Jefferson José Olivo Duque, is set to go to trial on October 15, 2025, as decided by District Judge Robert J. White, of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
An official criminal complaint has been filed against Olivo Duque in this court by a deportation officer from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who accused him of illegal reentry after being removed from the U.S.
The complaint states that, after his removal on July 6, 2023, the accused reentered the U.S. and was found back in the country on August 9, 2025, in Macomb County, Michigan. This constitutes probable cause to prosecute him criminally for reentering without the required permission.
Trial Schedule and Order
On September 8, 2025, Judge Robert J. White issued an order scheduling and notifying Jefferson José Olivo Duque’s trial.
He established that motions from the parties would be received until September 25; the deadline for the plea declaration, as well as for the final pretrial conference, was set for October 15, 2025, at 2 p.m.; and the jury trial was scheduled for October 28, 2025, at 8:30 a.m.
Previously, on August 21, 2025, after his appearance before Magistrate Judge David R. Grand, Jefferson José Olivo-Duque—who admitted to his detention—was scheduled to undergo a preliminary interrogation on September 4, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. Fabián Reneteria was assigned as his community defense attorney, and Robert Moran was the assigned prosecutor.
On September 4, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Kimberly G. Altman, after being informed of the charges, Jefferson José Olivo Duque pleaded not guilty.
Criminal Complaint Against Alleged Member of Tren de Aragua
On August 19, 2025, Craig Hunter, a deportation officer from ICE, filed a criminal complaint with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, supported by an affidavit before Magistrate Judge David R. Grand, against Jefferson José Olivo Duque, a 29-year-old Venezuelan citizen, for illegal reentry into the United States following a prior deportation.
Olivo Duque is suspected to be a member of the terrorist organization Tren de Aragua. He is charged with violating Title 8, Section 1326(a) of the United States Code when he illegally reentered Macomb County, Michigan, on August 19, 2025.
The key points are as follows:
- Prior Deportation: Olivo Duque was deported from the United States to Venezuela on July 6, 2023, following a removal order issued by an Immigration Judge.
- Reentry and Discovery: He was found back in the United States on August 9, 2025, in Clinton Township, Michigan, after local police discovered him providing a false name.
- Gang Affiliation: During the investigation, record checks identified him as a known member of the terrorist organization Tren de Aragua.
- Basis of the Charge: The complaint establishes probable cause that Olivo-Duque reentered the country without obtaining the required consent from the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security, constituting a federal offense.
Detailed Timeline of Events
The affidavit submitted by Deportation Officer Craig Hunter outlines a sequence of events spanning over two years, from Jefferson José Olivo-Duque’s initial encounter with immigration authorities to his most recent arrest.
- March 13, 2023: Olivo-Duque is found by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Paso Del Norte Bridge in El Paso, Texas, while presenting himself for inspection and admission. CBP processes him for Expedited Removal.
- March 17, 2023: While in custody, Olivo-Duque claims to fear returning to Venezuela. He is referred to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) for a “Credible Fear” assessment.
- March 27, 2023: CIS issues a positive credible fear determination.
- March 31, 2023: He is notified with an I-862 form (Notice to Appear) to appear before an immigration judge in El Paso, Texas, to continue with his asylum application.
- May 10, 2023: An immigration judge in El Paso orders Olivo-Duque’s removal from the United States to Panama, or alternatively to Venezuela.
- July 6, 2023: Olivo-Duque is physically removed from the United States and deported to Venezuela via an ICE charter flight from Miami, Florida.
- Unknown date: Olivo-Duque reenters the United States on an unknown date and place, without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by an immigration officer.
- August 9, 2025: The Clinton Township Police Department in Michigan discovers a Venezuelan individual providing a false name. The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent in Detroit receives a notification and, through record checks, identifies him as Jefferson José Olivo-Duque, a previously deported alien. Their checks also reveal his known membership in the Tren de Aragua gang.
- August 9, 2025: A HSI agent takes custody of Olivo-Duque and transports him to the ICE ERO Field Office in Detroit. He is notified of the I-871 form (Notice of Intent/Decision to Reinstate Prior Order).
Deportation Officer Craig Hunter concludes his affidavit by asserting that based on the presented facts, there is probable cause to criminally charge Jefferson José Olivo-Duque.
The formal request to the court is for the issuance of a criminal complaint and an arrest warrant for violating Title 8, United States Code, § 1326(a).
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