Nestor Hernandez-Morales, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Arizona 2024

Arrests and Convictions Mount in Arizona as Methamphetamine Trafficking Continues

Phoenx, Ariz. – In a significant blow to organized crime in Arizona, 536 defendants have been charged with federal crimes since January 2021 through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. This collaboration between the United States Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service has resulted in 174 separate indictments.

The OCDETF program is designed to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States. By using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the program is able to take down the most powerful and elusive criminal networks.

One notable case includes Nestor Hernandez-Morales, who pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Activity, and Attempted Smuggling of Firearms to Promote Drug Trafficking Activity on June 18, 2024. Hernandez-Morales was responsible for buying and arranging the delivery of high-caliber weapons and ammunition to Mexican drug cartel members.

Hernandez-Morales was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, on November 19, 2024. This case highlights the devastating impact of methamphetamine trafficking on communities and the need for continued law enforcement efforts to combat this issue.

Other notable cases in the OCDETF program include United States v. Jose Raul Diaz-Acedo, who was sentenced to 37 months in prison on December 5, 2024, for his role in smuggling an arsenal of weapons and ammunition into Mexico; United States v. Keivin Crosswell-Cervantes et. al, who were sentenced to 17, 11 years and three months, and 12 years in prison, respectively, for their involvement in delivering over 400,000 fentanyl pills and 25 pounds of methamphetamine to undercover officers; and United States v. Maria Mendoza-Mendoza, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in May 2024, for her role as a high-level human smuggling coordinator.

The OCDETF program is a crucial tool in the fight against organized crime, and the results of this program are a testament to the dedication and hard work of law enforcement agencies across the country.

Defendant Name: Nestor Hernandez-Morales

Criminal Charges: Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Activity, Attempted Smuggling of Firearms to Promote Drug Trafficking Activity

City and State: Phoenix, Ariz.

Exact Date: June 18, 2024 (plea), November 19, 2024 (sentencing)

Sentence or Outcome: 96 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release

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