On Friday last week, a press release from the U.S. Office of Public Affairs stated that Juan Orlando Hernández, the former President of Honduras, was convicted in a Manhattan federal court on charges that include “conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and related firearms offenses”.
Often referred to by his initials JOH, the former president faced a jury that found him guilty on all the counts written below (as stated in the press release on the website of the U.S. Department of Justice).
- Conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
- Using and carrying machine guns and destructive devices during, and possessing machine guns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 30 years.
- Conspiring to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices during, and possessing machine guns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The trial revealed incidences of corruption and collusion with some of the world’s most notorious drug traffickers.
Hernández, 55, was accused of leveraging his political position to facilitate the transport of “tons of cocaine through Honduras”, directly contributing to the drug crisis plaguing the United States.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland commented on the conviction, stating,
“Juan Orlando Hernández abused his position as President of Honduras to operate the country as a narco-state where violent drug traffickers were allowed to operate with virtual impunity, and the people of Honduras and the United States were forced to suffer the consequences.
As today’s conviction demonstrates, the Justice Department is disrupting the entire ecosystem of drug trafficking networks that harm the American people, no matter how far or how high we must go.”
This sentiment was echoed by U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who expressed hope that the conviction would serve as a deterrent to other corrupt politicians.
“It is my sincere hope that this conviction sends a message to all corrupt politicians who would consider a similar path: choose differently. My office will stop at nothing to investigate and prosecute those responsible for sending poison to this community, no matter their status or political power.”
The DEA Administrator, Anne Milgram, also weighed in, emphasizing the gravity of a national leader working alongside the Sinaloa Cartel to send deadly drugs into American communities.
“When the leader of Honduras and the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel work hand-in-hand to send deadly drugs into American communities, both deserve to be held accountable in the United States,”
Juan Orlando Hernández is now awaiting sentencing, scheduled for June 26.
