NEWARK, N.J. — An Essex County man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on May 31 for his involvement in two shootings and firearm and drug charges following an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark in collaboration with local and federal partners.
Antoine Hawkins, 31, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with two counts of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden at the District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark.
“The sentencing of Antoine Hawkins is the culmination of an incredible partnership between HSI Newark, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Newark Department of Public Safety and Drug Enforcement Administration,” said HSI Newark acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker. “We are dedicated to supporting our New Jersey law enforcement community in our staunch effort to protect our streets from the dangerous flow of illicit drugs and violent acts. I’m proud of HSI Newark’s special agents and the criminal analysts who provided significant information necessary to ensure justice could be served in this case.”
According to the investigation, on Aug. 18, 2020, video surveillance footage depicted Hawkins as he fired a gun on a Newark street, striking a victim who survived the shooting. Hawkins was also identified as the perpetrator of another shooting in Newark on Aug. 13, 2020, and cartridge casings from the locations of both shootings were a ballistics match.
On Sept. 16, 2020, law enforcement encountered Hawkins and observed what appeared to be a firearm in his jacket. A subsequent search revealed a 9-mm pistol, which was loaded in an extended magazine containing 19 rounds of ammunition.
A search warrant executed at Hawkins’ residence revealed 626 glassine envelopes containing heroin, three 9-mm magazines and other items.
In addition to the prison term, Hayden sentenced Hawkins to three years of supervised release.
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About HSI
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.