Antwan Hill, known as "Bandz," has been sentenced to 215 months in prison for his involvement with a violent street gang in New Haven. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden, includes three years of supervised release following imprisonment.

The announcement was made by several officials, including Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge at ATF Boston Field Division. Also involved were Robert Fuller from the FBI's New Haven Division, Stephen Belleau from the DEA's New England division, and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.

Authorities have been investigating an ongoing gang conflict involving the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in various parts of New Haven. Named after a location accessible via Interstate 91's Exit 8, the gang has been linked to numerous violent acts and drug trafficking activities.

The investigation showed that Hill participated in several shootings leading to two deaths. He pleaded guilty on April 18, 2024, to conspiracy charges related to racketeering activities and admitted involvement in four gang-related shootings. These incidents included attempts on lives on September 26, 2020; May 19, 2021; July 5, 2021; and April 12, 2022.

Hill has been held since August 3, 2023. His case is part of broader efforts under programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity, and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). These initiatives aim to reduce violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community members.

The investigation was carried out by multiple agencies including ATF, FBI, DEA, local police departments from New Haven and Hamden as well as state authorities such as the Connecticut State Police.