NEW HAVEN, CT – Tyjon Preston, 21, of New Haven, has confessed to a central role in a wave of violence orchestrated by the Exit 8 street gang. Preston pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden, admitting to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity that included multiple murders and attempted murders. The confession comes after a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement, targeting the escalating gang war plaguing the city.
Federal investigators say Preston and other members of Exit 8, named for the Interstate 91 exit in New Haven, were involved in drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and a brutal campaign of violence stretching back to June 2018. The gang, recently identifying members with the moniker “Honcho” – a tribute to a murdered member – has been linked to at least three killings and sixteen attempted murders. Authorities also uncovered evidence that gang members used stolen vehicles in their criminal activities, sometimes sourced from out of state.
Court documents detail Preston’s direct involvement in several specific acts of violence. On April 27, 2021, Preston and other gang members attempted to execute a rival, shooting the victim in the leg. The following month, on May 19th and 20th, Preston participated in conspiracies to kill rival gang members, with one victim fatally shot on May 19th by another Exit 8 member. But the most chilling admission involves the July 5, 2021, murder of a 22-year-old woman. Preston and another gang member allegedly gunned her down after she released a rap song perceived as disparaging to Exit 8.
The investigation, a collaborative effort between the ATF, FBI, DEA, and New Haven Police Department, revealed the gang’s sophisticated use of technology to coordinate their criminal enterprise. Text messages and social media platforms – including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube – were used to promote drug distribution, plan attacks, and celebrate acts of violence. Authorities are now meticulously combing through digital evidence to identify other participants and potential future targets.
Preston, who has been held in custody since September 9, 2021, now faces a potential life sentence. A binding plea agreement recommends a term of between 264 and 360 months imprisonment, pending court approval. U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery, along with State’s Attorney John P. Doyle, Jr., and agency heads from the ATF, FBI, DEA, and New Haven Police, heralded the guilty plea as a significant step towards dismantling the Exit 8 gang and restoring safety to the city’s streets.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity, and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement initiatives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis are prosecuting the case. The investigation also involved assistance from the Hamden Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, signaling a concerted, multi-agency push to combat gang violence in the region.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Violent Crime|Organized Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Press Release
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