One of the Queen City’s biggest and most ruthless gangs has been dealt a devastating blow, authorities announced Thursday.
Nearly a dozen members of the MS-13 street gang were arrested or charged with a wide variety of crimes, including conspiracy to commit murder, during a series of raids performed during the last several days, according to Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow.
The arrests began over the Fourth of July weekend and continued through early Thursday morning, Romankow said. The raids represented a joint operation between the prosecutor's office, the Plainfield Police Division, UCERT, the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"Plainfield has faced violence from gangs for far too long, and it not only impacts the citizens of the city, but everyone in the county and surrounding areas," said Romankow. "These arrests deliver a significant blow to the MS-13 operations, but we will not slow our pursuit of others involved in gangs and violence."
Members of MS-13 have been arrested during recent months and charged in at least three homicides that occurred in Plainfield, while several other MS-13 members are suspected in at least two other homicides, authorities said.
Of those charged during the last several days, one remains at large, Romankow said. Kelvin Mejia, with a last known address in Plainfield, remains wanted for a variety of charges including conspiracy to commit murder.
The following charges stem from a police investigation revealing that MS-13 members were working towards killing other members inside the gang as well as individuals not affiliated with the gang, Romankow said. The MS-13 members also are charged with gang criminality, a statute that recently was enacted in order to combat the rising ride of criminal activity by gangs, he added; the charge alleged that the members worked together to commit crimes on behalf of the gang.
Two juveniles were arrested as part of the raids, and Romankow said the prosecutor's office will move to have them waived to adult court.
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