Local Resident of Jersey City Faces Significant Jail Time Following Gang-Related Incident
NEWARK, N.J. – Sheldon Mays, known locally as “Thottie,” a 23-year-old from Jersey City and a member of a prominent street gang, has been handed a 90-month prison sentence. This decision comes after Mays admitted to stabbing an opposing gang member in a revenge-driven assault, as confirmed by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
The incident took place on August 3, 2020. Mays, along with seven accomplices linked to the “Curries Woods” gang, also known as the “Tay Tay Shrimp Gang” or “Sharks,” targeted a rival gang member in Jersey City. The victim was ambushed and brutally attacked, sustaining severe injuries, including a stab wound inflicted by Mays.
U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty, who presided over the case, also mandated a three-year supervised release for Mays following his prison term.
The successful prosecution was a collaborative effort involving multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, Jersey City Police Department, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Hudson County Department of Corrections.
This case was part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), a joint venture established in 2018 to tackle violent crimes in Jersey City. The VCI brings together various federal, state, county, and city agencies to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent criminals.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew represented the government in this case.
