Jeffrey Hernandez, a 40-year-old resident of Philadelphia, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. The sentence, handed down by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone, is the statutory maximum allowed by law. In addition to his prison term, Hernandez will serve three years of supervised release.
Hernandez pleaded guilty in August after being charged by superseding information. According to court documents and statements made during hearings, Hernandez was found with a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol containing 30 rounds of ammunition. He admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his status as a convicted felon.
Authorities discovered the weapon after receiving credible information that Hernandez and three other individuals were allegedly planning to commit a retaliatory killing related to an earlier shooting incident.
The investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, and the Philadelphia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Martin and Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan Gordon prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney David Metcalf stated: “Jeffrey Hernandez, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, the statutory maximum sentence allowed by law, and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone for illegal possession of a firearm by felon.”
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