U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger | U.S. Department of Justice
A member of a Jersey City street gang has been charged with violent crime in aid of racketeering and weapons offenses, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. Micah Reid, also known as "Nips," 33, from Jersey City, is accused of participating in a shooting targeting rival gang members.
Reid appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court and was detained following his initial appearance. The charges against him include one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering activity and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Court documents reveal that Reid is a high-ranking member of the Rutgers neighborhood street gang, which operates around Triangle Park in Jersey City. This gang has historically engaged in retaliatory violence against rival gangs near Salem Lafayette Apartments and other areas including Wilkinson Avenue, Ocean Avenue, Martin Luther King Drive, and Wegman Parkway.
The incident occurred on October 1, 2023, when Reid allegedly drove a stolen vehicle and opened fire on members and associates of rival gangs outside a nightclub on Culver Avenue in Jersey City. Six individuals were wounded by gunfire during this event. Law enforcement officials later found the firearm used in the shooting at Reid's residence while executing a search warrant.
If convicted, Reid faces up to 30 years in prison for the violent crime charge related to racketeering activities and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years with the possibility of life imprisonment for the firearms offense. Both charges carry potential fines up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited several agencies for their roles in the investigation leading to these charges: investigators from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office under Prosecutor Esther Suarez; special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led by Special Agent L.C. Cheeks Jr.; and officers from the Jersey City Police Department directed by James Shea.
This case is part of efforts under the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), established in 2018 by multiple law enforcement bodies to combat violent crime within Jersey City through coordinated strategies among federal, state, county, and city agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Thompson from Newark's General Crimes Unit represents the government in this case.
It should be noted that all charges are accusations at this stage; Reid remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.
