New Haven Teen Who Obstructed Justice Is Sentenced
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DIAVION HUTCHINGS, also known as “Avi,” 19, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to two years of probation for obstructing justice.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2019, the New Haven Police Department conducted a video-recorded interview with an individual who had just been arrested. During the interview, the individual provided information that led to the state arrest of Hutchings’ significant other (“L.W.”). A copy of the interview video was provided to L.W.’s lawyer.
In April 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against the individual whose interview was video recorded.
On April 24, 2019, Hutchings viewed the interview video at the office of L.W.’s lawyer, and recorded at least 15 separate portions of the interview using her iPhone. Hutchings transmitted portions of the recordings that she made of the interview video to others via text message and through the use of Facebook Live. In those transmissions, Hutchings communicated threats of harm toward the individual who provided information about L.W.
Hutchings was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on June 3, 2019. On June 29, 2020, she pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria del Pilar Gonzalez and Sarah P. Karwan.
