MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced in New Jersey for Murder Plot
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County MS-13 clique member, Jose Gimenez-Lobos, also known by the aliases “Infernal” and “Terrible,” was sentenced to a decade in prison today for his involvement in a gang-related murder plot. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri announced the sentencing, which took place in Newark federal court under U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi.
Gimenez-Lobos, 33, had previously admitted to participating in a May 2015 attempt to assassinate a member of a rival gang. This sentence will run concurrently with a 40-year term he is serving for a separate murder in November 2014, also committed on behalf of MS-13, in the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to records, he was not in the country legally.
“For MS-13, they use their criminal behavior as a means to perpetuate violence simply for the sake of violence. Gimenez-Lobos sent his minions after a rival gang member, but having failed to carry out his plan, he then had them savagely beaten. The brutality and total disregard for human life is the point. I would like to commend the agents and investigators on this case. Pursuing and bringing to justice members of MS-13 can be a harrowing job, but they do it to protect our communities.” “This is another clear example of the strong partnership that exists amongst federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in New Jersey,” Newark ICE Enforcement and Removal Field Office Director John Tsoukaris said. “This cooperation was critical in the arrest, prosecution and sentencing of an MS-13 gang member, a group notorious for its violent crimes. ICE ERO remains committed to our public safety mission as we enforce our immigration laws.”
The announcement underscored the serious threat posed by MS-13’s violence. Officials highlighted the case as an example of effective collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement in New Jersey, leading to Gimenez-Lobos’s conviction. The failed murder plot involved luring the intended victim to New Jersey for execution, showcasing the gang’s brutal tactics and disregard for human life. Despite the plot’s failure, it emphasizes the ongoing challenge law enforcement faces in combating gang violence.
It also highlights the clear and present danger of unchecked illegal immigration and its criminal impact on New Jersey.
“Jose Gimenez-Lobos displayed his depravity by conspiring to stab a man to death in cold blood,” said HSI Washington, D.C. Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon. “The severity of his crime is reflected in the prison sentence he received today. HSI Washington, D.C. will continue to pursue individuals or groups who perpetrate violence against the residents of our Washington, D.C. and Virginia communities.”
According to the investigation, Gimenez-Lobos, the leader of an MS-13 clique in New Jersey, attended a party with several other MS-13 gang members at a Richmond apartment on the evening of Nov. 23, 2014. The MS-13 gang members noticed that a member of the Sureño gang, a rival gang to MS-13, was also at the party.
“Under MS-13 rules, members are not allowed to associate with members of rival gangs and are required to beat or kill them. After Gimenez-Lobos realized that there was a rival gang member present, he gathered the MS-13 members at the party. The group went into another room in the apartment, conferred, and decided to kill the rival gang member,” SA Gordon’s office confirmed.