Hernandez Sentenced for Gun Trafficking Under New Law

LAREDO, Texas – Isaac Hernandez, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen living in Mexico, has been sentenced to serve 80 months for trafficking handguns into Mexico, marking the first conviction under the newly implemented Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act.

Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of firearms trafficking on September 29, 2022. The Safer Communities Act, passed on June 25, 2022, includes this law as part of its broader initiative to combat gun violence.

Judge Micaela Alvarez, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, emphasized the gravity of Hernandez’s crime during sentencing, noting that although the defendant had no prior criminal record, the volume of firearms trafficked was alarming and likely destined for illegal hands.

‘Hundreds of firearms likely ended up in the hands of Mexican cartel members,’ said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. ‘Hernandez’s actions only exacerbate the ongoing gun violence terrorizing both Mexico and the United States.’

Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the ATF highlighted the importance of laws like the Trafficking in Firearms Act, calling firearms trafficking both illegal and morally unacceptable. ‘We will continue to investigate and prosecute gun traffickers who endanger the lives of law-abiding citizens,’ Milanowski stated.

Hernandez was apprehended on July 11, 2022, while traveling south on U.S. Interstate 35 towards Laredo’s port of entry. Authorities discovered 17 firearms hidden in his vehicle at the time of his arrest. From January 21, 2020, to July 11, 2022, Hernandez purchased a total of 231 handguns in various calibers.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens is prosecuting this case, with the ATF leading the investigation. Hernandez will be transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility soon after his sentencing.

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