California Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Meth Trafficking in Oklahoma

A 35-year-old Mexican national, Simon Velazquez Hernandez, has been handed a 10-year sentence to serve in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking operation. Hernandez, who resided in California at the time of his arrest, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute the substance. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma publicized the sentencing, which followed a trial that concluded in a federal jury verdict.

Hernandez was pulled over by Oklahoma City Police on December 28, 2023, an event that preceded his indictment by a grand jury on January 17. During the stop, which occurred on interstate I-40, Hernandez claimed he was simply carrying Christmas presents from California to Arkansas. However, officers discovered roughly 40 pounds of methamphetamine hidden within gift wrapped boxes, which obviously were never meant to be nestled under any tree. Hernandez’s story quickly unwound to reveal a staggering volume of illegal drugs intended to quickly be distributed, not celebrated.

The trial garnered attention as the prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis Leverett and Stephen Hoch, presented evidence of Hernandez’s complicity in the drug trade. According to a statement from the

U.S. Attorney’s Office

, the methamphetamine seized was of such quantity that it underscored the severity of the trafficking issue facing communities nationwide, and particularly in Oklahoma. The jury’s decision underscored the legal consequences of such illicit activities.

U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton imposed the decade-long prison sentence last Tuesday. In addition to the prison term, Hernandez is to follow up his incarceration with five years of supervised release. At the sentencing, Judge Heaton noted on the

U.S. Attorney’s Office

“the nature and circumstances of the offense,” highlighting the seriousness with which the justice system treats drug trafficking crimes.

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