In Phoenix, a significant sentencing occurred last week bringing a two-year-long case to a close. Nestor Hernandez-Morales, a 27-year-old from Mesa, has been given an eight-year prison term for his involvement in attempted weapon smuggling and drug trafficking. According to a release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Hernandez-Morales was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angela M. Martinez to 96 months behind bars, to be followed by three years under supervised release.
Hernandez-Morales' guilty plea back on June 18, encompassed charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Activity, and Attempted Smuggling of Firearms. The investigation, parts of a sting operation, revealed on February 1, 2023, that Hernandez-Morales had agreed to purchase high-caliber firearms, valued at $26,000, from contacts within Mexican drug organizations for the purpose of bolstering their trafficking operations.
When federal and local law enforcement took Hernandez-Morales into custody, an ensuing search of his property led to the discovery of 6.6 kilograms of methamphetamine. Additionally, a Beretta handgun was located which Hernandez-Morales admitted using for his own protection during his criminal activities. This also extended to safeguarding his caches of drugs, currency, and additional munitions – with law enforcement officials finding another nine firearms at his home.
The successful apprehension and prosecution of Hernandez-Morales were outcomes of coordinated efforts by various federal law enforcement agencies as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative in Southern Arizona. This initiative, which is directed by the Arizona Strike Force located in Tucson, utilizes a combined strength strategy involving federal, state, and local agencies aimed at dismantling high-level criminal enterprises. The collaborative inquiry included contributions from Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, ATF, DEA, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, as detailed in the DOJ release.
The case handling was assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann of the District of Arizona, Tucson, who managed the prosecution that ultimately concluded with Hernandez-Morales' sentencing. The docket number linked to the case, for those searching courthouse records or seeking further information, is CR-23-00285-TUC-AMM.
