Antwan Hill, Racketeering, Connecticut 2024

NEW HAVEN, CT – Antwan Hill, also known as “Bandz,” 21, of New Haven, has admitted his direct involvement in a reign of terror that left two men dead and multiple others wounded. Hill pleaded guilty today to a racketeering offense, finally breaking his silence on the brutal acts committed as a member of the notorious Exit 8 street gang.

Federal prosecutors detailed a pattern of violence stretching back to 2018, linking Exit 8 to at least three murders and sixteen attempted murders. The gang, named after the Interstate 91 exit in New Haven, has recently adopted the moniker “Honcho” in tribute to a murdered member. The investigation, a collaborative effort between the ATF, FBI, DEA, and New Haven Police Department, revealed a ruthless operation fueled by drug trafficking and a brazen disregard for human life.

Court documents reveal Hill’s specific role in four separate shootings. On September 26, 2020, Hill and a fellow gang member opened fire on a rival, attempting to carry out a murder. Months later, on May 19, 2021, Hill conspired with others to eliminate rival gang members – a plan that resulted in the death of one victim at the hands of another Exit 8 operative. The violence continued on July 5, 2021, when Hill and an accomplice fatally shot an individual. Then, on April 12, 2022, Hill again targeted rivals, unleashing another hail of gunfire.

The investigation didn’t stop at the streets. Authorities found evidence that Exit 8 members utilized social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube – to flaunt their drug deals and celebrate their acts of violence. Stolen vehicles, often brought in from out of state, were used as tools in their criminal enterprise. The gangs’ activities were coordinated via text messaging and social media, cementing a digital footprint of their crimes.

U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery, alongside state and federal law enforcement officials, announced the guilty plea today. The investigation is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity, and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs, initiatives designed to dismantle violent criminal networks and restore safety to communities. Hill, who has been detained since August 3, 2023, now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis are prosecuting the case. The case highlights a continued and coordinated effort by the ATF, FBI, DEA, New Haven Police, Hamden Police, Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory to combat gang violence and bring perpetrators to justice. This conviction is a small victory in a long war against the criminal element that plagues the streets of New Haven.

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