Suspected Ranking Gang Member Captured in Mercer County; Weapon Recovered

Detectives from the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service Counter Gang Unit of the NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force apprehended a suspected ranking gang member Tuesday morning.

Law enforcement officials arrested Oscar Sanchez, 19, at a residence on the 400 block of Hewitt Street in Trenton, Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler announced Tuesday afternoon.

Sanchez, a suspected ranking member of the transnational Mara Salvatrucha -13 gang (AKA: MS-13), was wanted for failure to appear in Trenton Municipal Court on criminal mischief charges.

During the investigation, detectives recovered a loaded Hi-Point .9 mm semi-automatic assault rifle, with a scope and pistol grip. The assault weapon contained 11 rounds in its magazine.

He is currently being held at the Trenton Police Department, with bail on the assault rifle charge set at $50,000.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency lodged a no bail detainer for possible of deportation to Honduras.

Sanchez was apprehended with the assistance of the NJ Division of Criminal Justice, Trenton Police Department, the NJ Parole Board, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and most notably, deportation officers from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.

“The multiple law enforcement effort contributed significantly to taking a suspected criminal and an extremely deadly weapon off of our streets,” Kemler said. “This is one less weapon that can be used by a criminal to commit a violent crime.”