NEWARK, NJ – A bloody turf war in Newark has landed 18-year-old Munir Muhammad, aka “Mu,” in federal custody. Muhammad, identified as a member of a notorious street gang operating in the Clinton Place and Weequahic Avenue area – known locally as “Cake Block” – is accused of possessing a machinegun used in a shooting that left three people wounded on April 8th. One victim remains in critical condition.
Federal prosecutors say the investigation, stretching back to 2021, centers on a series of retaliatory shootings between rival gangs battling for control of Newark’s streets. The “Cake Block” gang, according to court documents, has been engaged in a violent feud with groups operating around Vorhees Street and the Bradley Court Housing Complex, targeting individuals connected to the Oscar Miles Housing Complex and Goodwin Avenue.
Law enforcement descended on Muhammad on April 12th, arresting him while he allegedly possessed a 9mm handgun illegally modified with a machinegun conversion device. The weapon was loaded with a high-capacity 30-round magazine. Ballistics analysis swiftly confirmed the same machinegun fired 28 rounds during the April 8th shooting at the Oscar Miles Housing Complex, linking Muhammad directly to the violent incident.
U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger’s office announced the charges, which include one count of possession of a machinegun and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. If convicted, Muhammad faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the machinegun charge, and another 10 years and $10,000 fine for the unregistered firearm. He was detained pending further court proceedings.
The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Secret Service. This case falls under the umbrella of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), a multi-agency task force formed in 2017 to combat violent crime in Newark and surrounding areas, pooling resources from federal, state, and local law enforcement.
The VCI boasts a broad coalition of agencies, including the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and multiple local police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, is leading the prosecution. The streets of Newark remain on high alert as authorities continue to dismantle the network of violence plaguing the city.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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