LONG POND, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— Monroe County District Attorney Mike Mancuso stated in a release that he believes a Venezuelan prison gang is responsible for two shootings in the last year.
The shootings have been linked to Venezuelan street gang Trena de Aragua (Train to Aragua) or TdA, according to Mancuso.
This comes after several interviews with party attendees, done by Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department, who have expressed fear of retaliation by the gang.
On January 12, two people were shot at a residence on the 1300 block of Clover Road that resulted in the death of 22-year-old Lionardo Hernandez Zarata, of Venezuela.
Officials say he booked the private residence for a party to celebrate his birthday.
The residence was littered with shell casings and suitcases were left in the driveway with cell phones, cash, and Venezuelan identification cards, according to Mancuso.
Mancuso descried the residence as similar another in Pocono Farms last May where a property was also rented out for a party and a shooting occurred.
Authorities say no one is charged in the homicide, but police arrested two men on burglary charges and three women for narcotics charges.
Mancuso says the investigation remains ongoing.