Federal agents arrested 121 people during a summer-long enforcement operation at Lewisville Lake, including two men who allegedly admitted to membership in the Tren de Aragua gang.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched the initiative on June 27 and ran it through Labor Day weekend, targeting peak boating season at the lake popular with Flower Mound and Highland Village families. ICE Dallas Field Office Director Miguel Vergara announced the results in a Friday, Sept. 25, press release, as reported by the Cross Timbers Gazette.

ICE described those arrested as foreign nationals unlawfully present in the United States. The agency said their alleged criminal histories included assault, family violence, sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child, burglary, DWI and boating while intoxicated.

Two arrests stood out. The alleged Tren de Aragua members are Willian Josue Ordonez Vasquez, 24, a Venezuelan citizen, and Edwin Josue Cabrera-Zelaya, 22, a Honduran citizen. The U.S. State Department has designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. Both men were under investigation by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for allegedly running an illegal livery operation on the lake, according to ICE.

Illegal livery operations involve renting out boats or transporting passengers without required safety inspections, insurance or operator credentials. ICE stated that a similar operation was connected to the death of 18-year-old Ava Moore, who was struck and killed by a jet ski while kayaking on Grapevine Lake over Memorial Day weekend 2025.

ICE Dallas led the operation with support from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Lewisville Police Department. The agency said the multi-agency effort freed local officers to spend more time on the water enforcing boating and safety laws.

Other arrests highlighted by ICE

Among the 121 arrests, ICE highlighted four additional cases:

  • A 30-year-old Honduran national previously deported from the U.S., with a prior conviction for assault causing bodily injury and a prior arrest for assault involving family violence. He was transferred to U.S. Marshals Service custody.
  • A 22-year-old Mexican national. Officers found a 13-year-old girl in his vehicle during the arrest. Her legal guardian was contacted and Lewisville Police responded to investigate potential Texas law violations.
  • A 23-year-old Guatemalan citizen, previously deported, with a prior arrest for felony sexual assault of a child in Dallas County.
  • A 35-year-old Mexican citizen with a prior arrest for felony indecency with a child by sexual contact in Dallas County.

"The results speak for themselves: 121 arrests, public safety threats off the streets, and stronger coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners," Vergara said in the press release.

ICE has not announced whether additional enforcement operations are planned at Lewisville Lake or other North Texas lakes.