Galax Men Get 130 Months for Meth, Gun Crimes

Two Galax, Virginia men are headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 130 months each for flooding their community with methamphetamine and arming themselves to protect their operation. Henry Aguilar, 25, and Pablo Hernandez, 28, were sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon following their guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The case, led by the Twin County Drug Task Force, began with intelligence that Aguilar and Hernandez were key distributors of meth in the Galax area. That intel led to a controlled buy from Aguilar, who was arrested shortly after handing over the drugs. Police found him in possession of a loaded .357 magnum revolver, methamphetamine, and packaging materials used for distribution — clear signs of a well-organized drug enterprise.

During questioning, Aguilar admitted he and Hernandez were importing one pound of methamphetamine per week from a supplier in North Carolina. The drugs were then funneled through a network of street-level dealers operating under Hernandez’s direction. Authorities confirmed Aguilar was one of multiple sellers working for Hernandez, who maintained tight control over the supply chain and profits.

A search of Hernandez’s residence uncovered more damning evidence: additional methamphetamine, detailed drug ledgers tracking sales and debts, and two loaded handguns. These weapons, investigators say, were not for protection — they were tools of intimidation, meant to enforce dominance in a violent, underground market fueled by addiction and desperation.

The Twin County Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives spearheaded the investigation, dismantling a distribution ring that had plagued the small Appalachian community. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Lee prosecuted the case, emphasizing the danger posed by combining large-scale drug trafficking with illegal firearms.

U.S. Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle stated the sentences reflect the federal government’s commitment to targeting drug networks that exploit rural communities. For Aguilar and Hernandez, the cost of their criminal enterprise is 130 months behind bars — a prison term meant to send a message: deal drugs, pack heat, and federal time will follow.