TUCSON, Ariz. – A 27-year-old man from Mesa was sentenced last week to eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking and firearms-related offenses, including attempting to smuggle weapons to support a Mexican drug trafficking organization.
Nestor Hernandez-Morales admitted to purchasing a .50 caliber semi-automatic rifle and a 5.56x45mm caliber belt-fed rifle in February 2023 for $26,000. According to prosecutors, Hernandez-Morales intended to supply the weapons to individuals connected to drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, who planned to use them to further their criminal operations. The purchase was part of an undercover sting operation by federal and local law enforcement, which led to his arrest.
A search of Hernandez-Morales’s residence revealed 6.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, along with a Beretta handgun he admitted to using for protection while securing drugs, money, and ammunition. Authorities also found nine additional firearms in his home.
Judge Angela M. Martinez sentenced Hernandez-Morales to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. His conviction included charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and attempted smuggling of firearms.
The case was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative led by the Arizona Strike Force in Tucson, which focuses on dismantling high-level drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations. The investigation was carried out by multiple federal and state agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.