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Former Honduras President Charged with Cocaine Trafficking
A federal court unsealed drug-trafficking and weapons charges today in a superseding indictment against Juan Orlando Hernández, the former two-term President of Honduras.
Hernández, 53, will make his initial appearance tomorrow, April 22, before Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron in federal court in New York after being extradited today from Honduras.
The indictment charges that from at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2022, Hernández participated in a corrupt and violent drug-trafficking conspiracy to facilitate the importation of hundreds of thousands of kilograms of cocaine into the United States.
Hernández allegedly received millions of dollars to use his public office, law enforcement, and the military to support drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere.
“The Justice Department is taking a comprehensive approach to protecting our communities and our country from violent crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.
“Juan Orlando Hernández, the recent former President of Honduras, allegedly partnered with some of the world’s most prolific narcotics traffickers to build a corrupt and brutally violent empire based on the illegal trafficking of tons of cocaine to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York.
“Hernández is alleged to have used his vast political powers to protect and assist drug traffickers and cartel leaders by alerting them to possible interdictions, and sanctioning heavily armed violence to support their drug trade,” said Williams.
Hernández is currently in federal custody after being extradited from Honduras. He faces charges of participating in a corrupt and violent drug-trafficking conspiracy, as well as charges related to the possession and use of firearms by a convicted felon.
According to the superseding indictment, Hernández protected some of the largest drug traffickers in the world, including his brother and former member of the Honduran National Congress, Juan Antonio Hernández Alvarado (Hernández Alvarado), aka Tony Hernández, from investigation, arrest, and extradition.
Hernández allegedly received millions of dollars in cocaine proceeds which he used to enrich himself, finance his political campaigns, and commit voter fraud while the people of Honduras endured the devastating effects of his corrupt and violent regime.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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