El Salvador National Charged with Firearm Possession in Long Branch Incident

Federal complaint alleges undocumented immigrant was found with semiautomatic weapons and ammunition following police response to gunfire

A 35-year-old El Salvador national residing in Long Branch, New Jersey, has been charged with illegally possessing firearms, following a December 2024 police response to gunfire in a suburban neighborhood. The arrest was announced by U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, who confirmed that Jose Manuel Menjivar Viera, also known as Jose Manuel Mejiva, appeared in Trenton federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day and was ordered detained pending further proceedings.

The federal complaint alleges that around 3:00 a.m. on December 11, 2024, Long Branch police officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting gunshots. Upon arrival, they observed Viera riding a bicycle and carrying a large black bag. As officers approached, Viera reportedly fled into the exterior area of a nearby residence, abandoning the bicycle and bag.

Law enforcement recovered the bag, which allegedly contained a semiautomatic rifle, a loaded handgun, ammunition, firearm magazines, and a machete. Viera was later discovered hiding in the bed of a pickup truck parked near the residence. Subsequent identification by Homeland Security agents determined that Viera is a citizen of El Salvador without legal status to reside in the United States.

He is charged under federal law with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms, a felony offense that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The investigation was led by deportation officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark. Additional assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Newark Division, the Long Branch Police Department, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the Criminal Division in Trenton. Authorities emphasized that the charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.