Trump DOJ Files New Charges Against Illegal Immigrant Arrested in Nashville Prostitution Bust

Elmer Humberto Aparicio-Castillo

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a new charge against one of the five illegal immigrants who were arrested in Nashville as part of a human trafficking operation, accusing 28-year-old Elmer Humberto Aparicio Castillo on Friday of “unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.”

A DOJ press release confirmed that Aparicio Castillo (pictured above), “is unlawfully present in the United States with a criminal history related to immigration offenses.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Robert McGuire said the new charge shows his office’s “continued commitment to enforcing the law, especially against those who are prohibited from carrying firearms.”

The press release reveals that Aparicio Castillo allegedly admitted to possessing a pistol at the time of his arrest. According to the DOJ, the suspect admitted to throwing the pistol while fleeing from law enforcement as they searched an Antioch, Tennessee address on January 8.

Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) spokesman Don Aaron previously told The Tennessee Star the illegal immigrants were believed to be from Venezuela. All of the men were initially charged with promoting prostitution, with some also charged with drug and gun crimes.

After the arrests were made, Aaron said in a press conference that a human trafficking investigation led to a joint operation between MNPD, HSI, the Tennessee bureau of Investigation (TBI), and the FBI, where law enforcement discovered what the spokesman described as a five-acre property with a building modified for use as a brothel.

Aparicio Castillo, according to the DOJ, was among the suspects who fled on foot, tossing their guns, before they were caught by law enforcement.

It remains unclear whether Aparicio Castillo is a member of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, however, TBI Director David Rausch recently confirmed the criminals are actively traveling through the state as they conduct human trafficking operations in Tennessee’s major cities.

The TBI explained that Tren de Aragua generally establishes a presence in a new territory through human trafficking, before eventually moving to organized retail theft and narcotics.

As the Trump administration reportedly seeks to increase the number of daily arrests from ICE officers, Governor Bill Lee has vowed to support President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, up to activating the Tennessee National Guard if requested by the president.

“President Trump was elected saying what he wanted to do, people elected him in a very strong fashion, and I am supportive of his strategies going forward. If that includes utilizing the National Guard, at the president’s request, then I work together with governors across the country to do that,” said Lee earlier this month.

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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Elmer Humberto Aparicio Castillo” by Metro Nashville Police Department.

 

 

 

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