MS-13 Gang Threat In NJ: Here's Where They've Been Found

How big of a threat is the MS-13? You may be surprised to see where members of violent gang been found. They may be in your town – or a town near you. We have the list of 48 towns where they've been identified.

While the Trump administration has been criticized for drumming up the threat of the notorious gang, the State Police has taken the threat seriously. Indeed, the State Police say they are close to releasing a new report that shows how deep the threat really is in New Jersey.

The State Police have already released at least two reports – the most recent in 2010 – that have identified the presence of MS-13 gang members in New Jersey towns (see the below list).

The threat appeared to hit its peak in publicity in April, when six members of MS-13 were indicted in a big New Jersey bust and faced murder charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Five of the defendants, all citizens of El Salvador, were members or associates of MS-13 sub-units, or "cliques," operating in New Jersey, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Read more: Big MS-13 Gang Bust In NJ: 6 Charged With Murder In Sweep

"MS-13 is one of the most violent and vicious gangs in America today," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a justice department release. "The gang has more than 10,000 members following its barbaric motto of 'kill, rape, and control' across 40 states, and that threatens law-abiding Americans."

Here are the towns that have identified a presence:

Towns with at least one MS-13 gang member:

• Egg Harbor Township
• Frenchtown
• Highlands
• Hillsborough
• North Bergen
• Ocean Township
• Paramus
• Wall Township
• Westfield

Towns with at least two to 20 MS-13 gang members:

• Atlantic City
• Bloomingdale
• Bridgewater
• Cherry Hill
• Dover
• Englewood
• Fairview
• Flemington
• Galloway
• Glassboro
• Highland Park
• Hightstown
• Howell
• Lindenwold
• Long Branch
• Newark
• North Plainfield
• Pemberton Township
• Pennsauken
• Ramsey
• Riverside
• Robbinsville
• Somers Point
• South River
• Toms River
• West Orange

Towns with at least 21 to 99 MS-13 gang members:

• Bound Brook
• Bridgeton
• Elizabeth
• Lakewood
• Morristown
• Trenton
• Union City

Towns with at least 100 to 199 MS-13 gang members:

• Plainfield
• West New York

According to the 2010 report, almost four towns out of 10 where MS-13 was present did not attribute any criminal activity to the gang presence.

MS-13 appeared to be keeping a low profile in much of New Jersey and avoiding conflict with other gangs. Forty-two percent of municipalities reported MS-13 were not in conflict with any other gang, and in more than a third of New Jersey towns with an MS-13 presence, local police agencies did not know of any conflicts.

A dozen New Jersey municipalities, on the other hand, reported the MS-13 presence as their most serious gang problem. In five of these towns, MS-13 was also named as the gang most actively recruiting in their jurisdiction.

These levels are roughly comparable but slightly higher than in previous surveys; nine municipalities named MS-13 as their most serious problem in both 2007 and 2004.

That situation may have certainly changed since the 2010 report was released.

In April, a grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging six members of the violent street gang MS-13, including one who is incarcerated in El Salvador, with various gang-related offenses, including racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.

The defendants and other New Jersey MS-13 members and associates allegedly engaged in various forms of illegal racketeering activity on behalf of the gang between late 2014 and late 2015.

This included: the execution of a suspected rival gang member in West New York on July 1, 2015, which resulted in Garcia-Gomez, the shooter, becoming eligible to join MS-13, according to the release.

The activity also included a failed May 2015 plot to kill a member of the rival 18th Street gang, who had been lured to New Jersey by a female MS-13 associate; and a plot to kill a member of the Hudson Locotes clique, whom Salvadoran MS-13 leaders had "green-lighted" – or ordered to be killed, according to the release.

The group also was accused of extorting the owner of a Hudson County restaurant by threatening harm if the person did not pay money to the gang. They also conspired to sell cocaine on behalf of the gang, according to the release.

ICE photo