New Haven Man, 23, Gets 15 Years For Gang Involvement, Shootings: Feds

NEW HAVEN, CT —Jaedyn Rivera, aka “Jae Honcho,” 23, of New Haven, was sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 182 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent New Haven street gang dubbed "Exit 8," including multiple shootings, the Justice Department announced.

The latest in a string of Exit 8 cases culminating in prison terms came this week from Justice, Vanessa Roberts Avery, US Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson

According to Avery, court documents and statements made in court, local, state, and federal law enforcement have been investigating an ongoing 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.

Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020, Avery said.

The investigation revealed that Rivera and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders, federal prosecutors said. "Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence," a news release from the Justice Department reads. "Gang members also 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."

On Jan, 24, Rivera pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity and he admitted that he took part in four shootings of rival gang members in May 2021 with three injured, the US Attorney said. On May 14, 2021, one victim was shot in the leg and torso, and on May 20, 2021, one victim was shot in the leg and another victim was shot in the back, per Justice Department. Rivera has been detained since May 21, 2021.