NOTE: VIDEO AT THE END OF ARTICLE
Federal, state, and local authorities in New Jersey have arrested 264 fugitives in a sweeping law enforcement effort dubbed “Operation Apex Hammer.” The operation, announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., targeted violent offenders statewide—many of whom had extensive criminal histories.
According to officials, those arrested were wanted for murder, robbery, kidnapping, and sexual assault—including crimes involving children. At least two were illegal immigrants with active warrants for sex crimes.
“We are doing multiple cases at once to make sure that we clean up as quickly as possible,” Habba told Fox News. “Violent crime is number one. That is all we’re focused on.”
Among the most serious offenders:
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17 were wanted for homicide
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95 were confirmed gang members
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Collectively, the suspects had over 2,600 prior arrests
High-Profile Arrests
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Lorenzo Benitez, 54, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, arrested June 4 in Plainfield, NJ, for multiple counts of sexual assault.
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Darlin Franco-Guzman, 25, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, arrested June 10 in Trenton for an attempted sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl in Maryland.
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Stephen Bullock, 32, charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 76-year-old woman in Camden County.
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Shawn Davis, 38, arrested in Brooklyn for a 2024 homicide in Trenton.
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Luis Duval-Jimenez, 31, accused of running over a South Brunswick police officer in May.
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Trasuf Bennett, 20, and a juvenile suspect, arrested for a Millville drive-by shooting that left one man dead.
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Francisco Ruiz, 67, taken into custody in Bayonne on charges of sexual assault, criminal restraint, and endangering the welfare of a child.
Weapons Recovered
Authorities also seized 14 illegal firearms during the operation.
Ongoing Nationwide Crackdown
Operation Apex Hammer is part of a broader national initiative to crack down on violent crime by increasing coordination between federal, state, and local agencies. The multi-agency sweep is still underway, with law enforcement tracking more fugitives throughout the state.
Officials stressed that the operation reflects the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance stance on violent crime and illegal immigration.
