Bellevue man allegedly tied to Venezuelan gang faces attempted murder charge in agent attack
Federal agents apprehend Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco in Bellevue. He now faces charge of attempted murder for alleged assault on a federal agent. (Courtesy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
OMAHA — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Friday announced the arrest of a Bellevue man it alleges “violently attacked” an immigration agent, was in the country illegally and has ties to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang.
Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, 30, has been charged with attempted murder by the Department of Justice, said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
“Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident,” she said in a statement, adding that ICE agents are facing a surge in assaults against them.
On June 18, Omaha-based agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations led an operation to arrest Hurtado-Cariaco. An ICE spokeswoman said agents conducted a traffic stop and Hurtado-Cariaco allegedly launched an attack on a special agent.
Hurtado-Cariaco allegedly “threw the ICE agent to the ground, slammed her head into the pavement, ripped off her body armor, and made repeated and physical violent contact,” said the Homeland Security statement.
He fled the scene, but federal agents apprehended him about an hour later in the same area.
The agent sustained injuries to her head and arm and was transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has since been released and is recovering. Hurtado-Cariaco also allegedly assaulted an FBI agent during the incident.
Federal officials said that Hurtado-Cariaco entered the U.S. illegally in 2023, and was removed by Border Patrol. It said that he re-entered illegally the following year and was released into the country with a notice to appear.
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