Hudson County Gang Member Receives 90-Month Sentence for Violent Assault

Sheldon Mays, Known as "Thottie," Sentenced for Stabbing a Rival Gang Member, as Part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative

Newark, NJ— Sheldon Mays, 23, a member of a Hudson County street gang, was sentenced to 90 months in prison for stabbing a rival gang member. U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty imposed the sentence on September 18, 2023, following Mays' previous guilty plea to assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.

The Assault

According to court documents and statements, on August 3, 2020, Mays and seven other individuals, all connected to a street gang operating around Curries Woods Public Housing Complex in Jersey City, assaulted a rival gang member. The attack was a retaliation for a previous gang-related assault. Mays and his associates drove up in two cars and violently attacked the victim, who suffered life-threatening injuries from punches, kicks, and a stabbing inflicted by Mays.

Additional Sentencing

In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty has also sentenced Mays to three years of supervised release.

Investigation and Credit

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division; the Jersey City Police Department; the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office; and the Hudson County Department of Corrections for their collaborative work leading to this sentencing.

The Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative

This case was investigated as a part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in 2018. The initiative aims to combat violent crime in and around Jersey City through cooperation between federal, state, county, and city agencies. VCI members include the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.

Representation

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton represented the government in this case.

The sentencing serves as a notable development in the ongoing efforts to combat violent crime in the region and may act as a deterrent for similar acts of violence.