Camron Hill, Possession of a Ghost Gun, Connecticut 2023

HARTFORD, CT – Camron Hill, 36, of Hartford, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 18 months for possessing an illegal “ghost gun” and his ties to a narcotics operation, authorities announced Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer handed down the sentence in New Haven, adding three years of supervised release following Hill’s incarceration.

The case stemmed from a DEA Hartford Task Force and Hartford Police Department investigation into a Barbour Street business dubbed “The HOLE Ex-Con 360 the movement.” While posing as a clothing store, investigators suspected the establishment was a front for drug trafficking. Controlled purchases of marijuana in October 2022 confirmed those suspicions, leading to a court-authorized search of the premises.

During the October 5, 2022 raid, investigators uncovered a veritable pharmacy of illegal substances: crack cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, synthetic opioid films, fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone, and MDMA. They also seized drug packaging materials, U.S. currency, and five handguns. Crucially, one of those weapons was a loaded 9mm privately made firearm – a “ghost gun” – discovered behind the counter in a black satchel-type bag.

Evidence quickly connected Hill to the firearm. Surveillance footage from the morning of the search showed Hill using keys to open the store and carrying a similar black bag. Forensic testing later confirmed Hill’s DNA was present on the ghost gun. This wasn’t Hill’s first brush with the law; he has a prior felony conviction, making possession of a firearm a federal offense.

Hill pleaded guilty on April 18, 2023, to possession of ammunition by a felon. He was already released on bond and is now required to report to prison on October 17. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, Hartford Police, the ATF, and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The DEA Task Force includes officers from multiple Connecticut departments, including Bristol, East Hartford, and Manchester.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys A. Reed Durham and Brendan J. Keefe are prosecuting the case. The bust highlights the ongoing struggle to curb both the illegal drug trade and the proliferation of untraceable, privately-made firearms flooding the streets. The ATF Boston Field Division provided assistance in the investigation, further demonstrating the wide-reaching impact of these types of operations.

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