The historic Gateway Hotel in El Paso, Texas, has been temporarily closed by a state judge amid accusations that the property’s owner enabled the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua to operate from its premises.
The El Paso Times reported Judge Maria Salas-Mendoza of the 120th District Court issued a temporary injunction that shutters the hotel until a hearing scheduled on Dec. 9. On Aug. 27, the El Paso County Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit that claimed the hotel’s owner was operating without a valid certificate of occupancy since 2018. The defendants in the lawsuit are the Gateway Hotel, Gigante Enterprises LLC, and Howard “Danny” Yun, the owner of both entities.
The El Paso Police Department said it received 693 calls for assistance related to criminal activities related to the hotel, including assaults, gang involvement, and suspected prostitution.
El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez stressed that the hotel was not overtaken by Tren de Aragua, who were accused of taking over three apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado. Instead, the lawsuit cites the criminal activities coming from the hotel and seeks a permanent injunction to halt the hotel’s operations until long-term remedies are enacted at the property.
“It’s important to clarify that this lawsuit was not prompted by criminal activities attributed to any specific group or gang,” Sanchez said. “The NAT’s (Nuisance Abatement Team) lawsuits are strategic tools aimed at swiftly and effectively addressing public safety concerns, enforcing legal standards, and safeguarding the community from persistent or escalating issues. I want to be clear that at no time did we allege in our lawsuit that the hotel was taken over by any gang or group of individuals.”
The hotel’s history can be traced back to the Trust Building, which opened in downtown El Paso in 1903. The building was remodeled into the five-story Gateway Hotel in 1927-1928.
The hotel’s current residents must be out of the premises by 10:00 a.m. this morning.
Photo: A surveillance camera image of alleged Tren de Aragua activity at the Gateway Hotel, courtesy of the El Paso County Attorney’ Office
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