****UPDATE (09/09/24)****
In an attempt to clarify some of the questions raised by callers, local media and concerned citizens we are releasing additional details of the case referenced below. This release will not answer every lingering question as this continues to be an open and ongoing investigation.
Our staff spent this weekend focusing our efforts where we feel they are most appropriate at this time and that is on the victims in this case. We conducted further interviews and provided resources to the victims to ensure their basic needs are met and they have a path to recovery. Having the privacy of the victims in our minds, no additional details will be released about them.
We are more confident now about Mr. Coronel Zarate’s affiliation with the Tren de Aragua transnational gang based on information obtained through interviews, based on prominently displayed tattoos belonging to Mr. Coronel Zarate and based on consultation with our federal law enforcement partners. We do want to clarify that Mr. Coronel Zarate is the only suspect in this case and the only person we have had contact with that has shown connections to the Tren de Aragua transnational gang. However, we live in a mobile society. People visit our community every day. We can’t possibly know everyone that arrives here and their intentions.
At the time of Mr. Coronel Zarate’s arrest, he was found in possession of two fictious immigration documents, including a United States Social Security Card.
Based on our investigation we can confirm that Mr. Coronel Zarate entered the United States in September of 2023 at or near the El Paso, TX point of entry. Since that time, he has been arrested in Minneapolis, MN on November 5, 2023, for receiving stolen property. He was charged with Strangulation/Suffocation, False Imprisonment, Battery, and Disorderly Conduct in Dane County, WI on December 1, 2023.
Mr. Coronel Zarate arrived in Prairie du Chien around the 26th of August. He was brought to Prairie du Chien by one of the victims in this case. They had previously met in Madison, WI and were acquaintances. It is important to know that the victim in this case brought Mr. Coronel
Zarate to Prairie du Chien with no expectations or knowledge of his violent tendencies. She holds no responsibility for the brutal assaults that she was subjected to after he arrived here.
On Friday, September 6, 2024, Crawford County Circuit Court Judge Luke Steiner imposed a $10,000 cash bond for the release of Mr. Coronel Zarate. As of Monday, September 9, 2024, Mr. Coronel Zarate is still an inmate at the Crawford County Jail.
This is a victim centered investigation. The role of police in a civilized society is to reduce crime, fear and disorder. We remain committed to representing these victims and giving them a voice to hold this suspect accountable for his actions. We remain focused on reducing fear of further victimization.
Kyle Teynor
Chief of Police
ORIGINAL STORY: On Thursday, September 5, 2024, at approximately 12:30 p.m., the Prairie du Chien Police Department responded to the 300 block of East Wells Street for a physical disturbance. Upon arrival, officers received information that a male suspect had been physically and sexually violent towards an adult female. A female juvenile was also located and found to have been injured during the physical altercation that took place. As a result of the investigation, the male suspect was arrested and taken to the Crawford County Jail.
The suspect was identified as, Alejandro Jose Coronel Zarate, 26 of Venezuela. He was booked into jail for Domestic Disorderly Conduct, two counts of Domestic Battery, Strangulation/Suffocation, Physical Abuse to a Child, Disorderly Conduct and two counts of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault. Coronel Zarate also had warrants through Dane County, WI for Strangulation/Suffocation, False Imprisonment, Battery, and Disorderly Conduct.
Additionally, Coronel Zarate is suspected of having an affiliation with a known violent transnational criminal organization known as “Tren de Aragua”, who are known for a variety of criminal activities, such as homicide, abduction, extortion, drug trafficking, arms/weapons trafficking, human smuggling, and human trafficking (according to the National Gang Intelligence Center & the Department of Homeland Security). The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was notified, and a detainer has been placed on Coronel Zarate, as he is not a U.S. Citizen.
“Mr. Coronel Zarate was brought to Prairie du Chien from the Dane County area. The victims in this case knew Mr. Coronel Zarate, this was not a random event. This incident highlights the need to be aware of the dangers that affiliates of these transnational criminal organizations pose to our communities. Violence towards others, no matter the circumstances, cannot be tolerated in our community. Our agency remains committed to holding violent actors accountable for their criminal offences.”
Kyle Teynor
Chief of Police