NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Quaymar Suggs, 20, of New Haven, was sentenced to nearly 21 years in federal prison for his role in the violent Exit 8 street gang and the 2021 murder of 18-year-old Tashawn Brown, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Suggs pleaded guilty on July 1, 2024, to charges including conspiracy to engage in racketeering, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses. As part of his plea, Suggs admitted to fatally shooting Brown on May 19, 2021.
Exit 8, a notorious gang named after the I-91 exit into New Haven, has been linked to violent crimes, narcotics distribution, and gun sales. The DEA investigation revealed that Suggs and other gang members were involved in multiple murders and attempted murders since 2018.
Additionally, Suggs acknowledged breaking into a Connecticut state trooper’s vehicle in 2021, stealing the officer’s duty bag, and committing other criminal acts including vehicle thefts used in violent offenses. The gang also utilized social media platforms to coordinate drug sales and violent activities.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative aimed at reducing violent crime.
