An Essex County man with a history of violence has landed in federal prison for his role in two separate shootings, as well as charges related to illegal gun possession and heroin distribution.
Antoine Hawkins, 31, of Newark, was sentenced to 144 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court. Hawkins had previously pleaded guilty to charges of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hawkins was identified as the perpetrator of two separate shootings in Newark on August 13 and 18, 2020. Video surveillance footage captured Hawkins firing a gun on a Newark street, striking a victim who survived the shooting. Cartridge casings from the locations of both shootings were a ballistics match, linking Hawkins to the crimes.
On September 16, 2020, law enforcement encountered Hawkins and observed what appeared to be a firearm in his jacket. A subsequent search revealed a 9-millimeter pistol, loaded in an extended magazine containing 19 rounds of ammunition. A search warrant executed at Hawkins’ residence uncovered 626 glassine envelopes containing heroin and three 9-millimeter magazines.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations with the investigation leading to Hawkins’ charges. The case is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark, a partnership between federal, state, county, and city agencies aimed at combating violent crime in and around the city.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Hawkins to three years of supervised release. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the National Security Unit in Newark.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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