MACON, Ga. — The man accused of presenting a fake green card to police as they were investigating a college nursing student's murder may be a member of a Venezuelan gang, according to court documents.
A new memo to support a motion for detention for Diego Ibarra -- provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the Middle District of Georgia -- was filed Wednesday. Diego Ibarra's brother, Jose Ibarra, is facing murder charges following the death of Laken Riley. The Augusta University nursing student was found dead on the University of Georgia's campus on Feb. 22. UGA Police said the 22-year-old died from blunt force trauma.
Below is an outline of how and why Diego Ibarra was taken into custody on a charge unrelated to the murder investigation and why authorities believe he may have gang ties.
The day of the arrest | Feb. 23, 2024
Diego Ibarra is not accused of having any connection to the killing of Riley. He is facing one charge of possessing a fraudulent document.
The new court filing states Diego Ibarra was wearing "an identical hat" and had a similar appearance to the person in a surveillance photo that police were looking for in connection to Riley's death. The document said Diego Ibarra handed a police sergeant the fake green card as officers were conducting their investigation. The officer "immediately recognized that the ID was fraudulent due to its poor quality and the fact that the ID listed two different birth dates," the court filing states. Homeland Security Investigations verified the ID was fake, and he was arrested.
The court documents reveal a timeline of several previous offenses. The first one listed dates back to April 2023, when Diego Ibarra was accused of entering the country illegally in Texas.
"Tattoos suggest that he is a member of TdA"
There are several factors listed in the court document that outline reasons why officials believe Diego Ibarra may be affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, also known as TdA.
The document states that "Tattoos commonly found on TdA members consist of weapons, stars, clocks, trains, five-pointed crowns," and the "dollar sign."
Photos provided in the filing, which officials said were taken the same day of Diego Ibarra's February arrest, show he has a five-pointed crown tattoo on the left side of his neck; he also has five-pointed stars on the other side.
The court documents also point to the teardrop tattoo -- often associated with gang culture and not exclusive to TdA - on his face as evidence to suggest that he is a member of a gang.
Homeland Security Investigators also found social media posts on Diego Ibarra's accounts that contained several photos of him and others appearing to flash the TdA hand sign, the document said.
It states that TdA was formed in the mid to late 2000s. The Venezuelan gang has allegedly had violent run-ins with police and others in New York and other parts of the U.S.
"Multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies have reported a heavy presence of TdA members in several states, particularly Texas, New York, Illinois, Florida, and Georgia," the court filing claims.
Diego Ibarra's next court hearing
Diego Ibarra will have a preliminary hearing regarding probable cause and the government’s motion to detain on Thursday in Macon at 10 a.m.
"Based upon the foregoing facts, the government respectfully requests that (Diego) Ibarra be detained due to the risk that he will flee the jurisdiction of the Court and the danger that he poses to the safety of persons and the community," the filing concludes.
If convicted, Ibarra faces a maximum of ten years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case, with other agencies providing assistance.