He is the least spotlighted of the three who will be tried on February 5, but former police officer Mauricio Hernandez’s role in the court of the Southern District of New York is no less important than Juan Orlando Hernandez and Juan. Carlos “El Tigre” Bonilla.
Three Hondurans face a jury trial on February 5 for participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that resulted in the introduction of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into United States territory, according to an indictment filed by the New York Prosecutor’s Office.
He is charged with conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
They are also charged with using and carrying a machine gun and destructive device during a conspiracy to import cocaine, and possessing a machine gun and destructive device in furtherance of a conspiracy to import cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years. Life in prison..
Additionally, conspiracy to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices during a cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of a cocaine importation conspiracy, carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Mauricio Hernandez, 51, is a former high-ranking member of the Honduran National Police. He was released from the police on August 23, 2018.
According to the United States Department of Justice, the former officer is a cousin of Juan Orlando Hernandez y Toni, who pleaded guilty to drug trafficking on September 18, 2019.
However, Melvin Bonilla, who was Tony Hernandez’s legal representative, denied any relationship between Hernandez and the former police officer.
On September 4, 2019, the United States charged the former police officer with “participating in and supporting drug trafficking activities”. He is charged with three counts of drug activity. One of them involved conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States.
In February 2020, the former police officer voluntarily surrendered to the United States justice system to answer the charges. He traveled to Guatemala and surrendered to DEA agents at an airport in that country.
Official documents indicate that Hernandez Pineda’s arrest was recorded on February 12, 2020 at 5:45 p.m.
“Among other things, Hernández Pineda provided armed security, including men carrying machine guns, for multi-ton cocaine shipments sent through Honduras, and provided his associates with confidential information about planned operations so they could avoid detection while transporting the cocaine. Via Honduras ,” the indictment reads.
Hernandez Pineda is also described as having “earned thousands of dollars in drug proceeds.” He surrendered to United States justice in early 2020.
The prosecutor who appears in the file is Jason Richman, who was also involved in the judicial process against Tony Hernandez. With him, Assistant United States Attorney Emil J. Bowe III, Amanda L. Holley and Matthew J. LaRoche is prosecuting the case.
According to the justice of the United States, the former officer provided Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernandez and secret information about drug trafficking in Honduras to other conspirators on ten occasions.
By passing on sensitive information, the man now accused of drug trafficking may have received payments of thousands of dollars and expensive watches, according to the investigation.
A former police officer is accused of calling drug trafficker Alexander Arden to ask if it was true that he had turned himself in to the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, according to an investigation by prosecutors.
For several years, former officer Tony Hernandez would be the transmitter between Ardon and other conspirators such as Victor Hugo Diaz, aka “El Rojo”.
Hernández Pineda is a former high-ranking member of the Honduran National Police who participated in and supported the drug trafficking activities of his cousin Juan Antonio Hernández Alvarado, also known as “Tony Hernández”.
Among other things, Hernández Pineda provided armed security, including men carrying machine guns, for multi-ton cocaine shipments sent through Honduras, and provided his associates with confidential law enforcement information about planned operations to avoid detection while transporting cocaine through Honduras. can
In return, Hernandez Pineda received thousands of dollars in drug trafficking profits.
Download the PDF of the indictment against Mauricio Hernandez: PDF of the indictment
