(LibertySons.org) – The opioid crisis, and in turn, drug trafficking, is a global problem. While President Joe Biden’s open border policies haven’t helped stem the tide of illegal drugs into our country, it’s not they aren’t the only reasons for the epidemic. In order to stop the flow, you have to start at the top — by taking international officials to task who are either directly involved with the drug trade or take bribes to look the other way. Earlier in 2024, Juan Orlando Hernández (JOH), the former president of Honduras, was found guilty of drug trafficking in a US courtroom. He has now learned his fate.
JOH, 55, was first indicted by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) in January of 2022. He was extradited to the US in April of that same year. He was charged with one count each of conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices, possession of machineguns and destructive devices, and importation conspiracy.
The DOJ estimates that between 2004 and 2022, Hernandez was involved in “a corrupt and violent drug-trafficking conspiracy to facilitate the importation of hundreds of thousands of kilograms of drugs into the United States.” For his part, JOH allegedly received millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks. According to the DOJ, he worked with some of the biggest drug traffickers in the world to bring over 400 tons of drugs into the US.
He went on trial in February of this year, and after three weeks, on March 8, a jury convicted him on all three counts in a Manhattan federal courtroom.
On June 26, Judge P. Kevin Castel sentenced Hernandez to 540 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. He was also fined $8 million.
After the sentencing, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the DOJ “will hold accountable all those who engage in violent drug trafficking, regardless of…what position they hold.”
~Here’s to Our Liberty!
Copyright 2024, LibertySons.org
