DJ Hernandez Credited With Time Served In UConn Campus Threat Case

STORRS, CT — Dennis "DJ" Hernandez, a former University of Connecticut football player and brother of the late former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez has been sentenced in connection with a threat made to the UConn campus and threats directed elsewhere.

Marc H. Silverman, acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, said that the 38-year-old Hernandez was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to "approximately" 18 months in prison, time already served, and three years of supervised release for making interstate threats.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6 and 7, 2023, Hernandez, in a message to someone on Facebook Messenger, made multiple statements that threatened to carry out a shooting incident at UConn. The statements included "I would recommend remaining away from there because when I go, I'm taking down everything ... And don’t give a f--- who gets caught in the crossfire. I've died for years now and now it's others people [sic] turn. I'm prepared to give my life. So if I don’t get to see you on the outside know I love you always ... Not all shootings are bad I'm realizing. Some are necessary for change to happen."

Hernandez’s vehicle was identified on UConn's campus on July 7, according to case records.

On July 18 and 19, 2023, Hernandez made multiple Facebook posts threatening to harm or kill three individuals who reside out of state, including a state court judge, according to case records.

In addition, on July 19, in a conversation via text message with one of the "victims," Hernandez stated, "We're taking lives if s--- isn't paid up. It's been years in planning just taking notes, names and locations. They talked their way into this and it's almost point game. I know we don’t play in my family. If we have to take lives or buildings we will. So just letting you know so you can be prepared for a media circus one way or another."

Hernandez has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on July 19, 2023. On Dec. 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate communications containing a threat to injure.

While on supervised release, Hernandez "must continue mental health and substance abuse treatment and allow his electronic devices to be monitored by the U.S. Probation Office, and he is prohibited from visiting UConn and other locations that he targeted in his threats," according to the sentence.