A downtown El Paso hotel, the Gateway Hotel, is at the center of a legal battle as local authorities seek to shut down the establishment, citing rampant criminal activity and a lack of compliance with city regulations.

The El Paso County Attorney’s Office, led by Christina Sanchez, filed a lawsuit in the 120th District Court on Monday, seeking a temporary restraining order and injunction against the hotel and its owner, Howard “Danny” Yun.

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The El Paso County Attorney’s office just filed a restraining order against the hotel. They allege the owner has allowed illegal activity to go on for months. Police have been called… pic.twitter.com/LLJ61NQnNI

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The Gateway Hotel, located at 104 S. Stanton Street, has been under scrutiny for years, with police responding to 693 calls at the property over the past two years.

These calls involved a range of criminal activities, including assaults, gang involvement, drug use, suspected prostitution, and theft.

According to court documents, police reports have frequently linked the hotel to habitual criminal activity, creating what authorities describe as a “common nuisance.”

One of the most concerning developments in the case is the suspected presence of gang members from the Venezuelan “Tren De Aragua” organization.

Police officers have reported encountering individuals at the hotel with tattoos associated with the gang, and reports suggest an increase in criminal activity coinciding with the gang’s use of the property.

Officers have also noted fire hazards, trash accumulation, and dangerous conditions inside the building.

The property’s safety record is equally troubling. Despite restoration efforts by the owner, the Gateway Hotel has failed multiple fire inspections conducted by the El Paso Fire Department.

Since July, the hotel has failed at least three inspections, further contributing to concerns about its safety.

Additionally, the hotel has been operating without a valid certificate of occupancy since November 2018, raising legal questions about its compliance with city regulations.

The lawsuit filed by County Attorney Sanchez seeks not only to halt the hotel’s operations but also to address the ongoing issues at the property.

In the original petition for abatement, Sanchez described the deplorable conditions inside the hotel. Security footage presented as evidence showed disturbing scenes of violence and chaos, including an aggravated assault on June 16, 2024.

The footage also captured people brandishing weapons, including guns, knives, and a hatchet, while hotel security stood by without intervening.

In addition to criminal activity, the footage also revealed incidents of drinking, smoking, and dancing provocatively on the hotel’s third floor, with children present at the scene.

Police reports further describe frequent drug use, burglaries, and fights taking place at the hotel, contributing to its notorious reputation.

The Gateway Hotel, a building with a long history in El Paso, first opened its doors in 1928 after being converted from an office building by the renowned architectural firm Trost & Trost.

It has been featured in films such as the 2004 movie Glory Road and the 1972 film The Getaway, starring Steve McQueen.

However, the hotel’s more recent history has been mired in controversy. In 2011, the previous operator of the hotel, Song U. Chon, was convicted in federal court of money laundering and running a scheme to smuggle thousands of undocumented immigrants into the United States, many of whom were housed at the Gateway Hotel.

Now, with new legal challenges mounting, the hotel’s future remains uncertain.

El Paso County officials are seeking to shut down the establishment and prevent further illegal activity.

Despite attempts by owner Howard Yun to restore the hotel, the continued failure to meet safety regulations and its ongoing association with criminal activity have drawn the ire of local authorities.

As the legal process unfolds, El Paso officials are pushing for long-term solutions to address the issues at the Gateway Hotel.

The case highlights the challenges facing law enforcement and local governments in tackling criminal hotspots within the city.

Whether or not the hotel will be permanently closed remains to be seen, but for now, the focus remains on curbing the criminal activity that has plagued the property for years.

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