New Haven Gang Banger Gets 20 Years for 2 Murders

ANTWAN HILL, also known as “Bandz,” 21, of New Haven, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a violent New Haven street gang.

Hill pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and specifically admitted that he took part in four gang-related shootings, which resulted in two deaths. The gruesome crimes were part of a gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city.

According to court documents and statements made in court, the investigation revealed that Hill and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders since June 2018. Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence.

Gang members promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube. The investigation was conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis as part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want to leave the gang lifestyle.