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28-year-old Pharr man sentenced to 7 years in prison

3 years 11 months 3 weeks ago Friday, March 27 2020 Mar 27, 2020 March 27, 2020 10:31 AM March 27, 2020 in News - Local

A federal judge on Monday sentenced a Pharr man to seven years in prison for attempting to transport nearly 4,400 rounds of ammunition from the United States to Mexico.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa sentenced Christian Hernandez, 28, of Pharr during a hearing Monday at the federal courthouse in McAllen.

Officers at the Hidalgo bridge stopped Hernandez on March 29, 2019, when he attempted to cross the border from Texas to Tamaulipas, according to federal court records.

When they searched Hernandez’s car, officers found 4,380 rounds of ammunition.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection contacted Homeland Security Investigations, a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which questioned Hernandez.

“HERNANDEZ admitted to loading and concealing the 7.62X39mm ammunition within the Subject Vehicle at an undisclosed location,” according to the criminal complaint against him. “HERNANDEZ admitted he was aware it was unlawful to smuggle ammunition from the United States into Mexico.”

Agents also arrested a passenger in the vehicle and a woman.

The passenger, who spent 361 days in jail, was sentenced to time served, according to court records. The woman was placed on probation for two years.

Hernandez, who pleaded guilty in October 2019, faced a maximum of 10 years in prison.

He received a seven-year prison sentence followed by three years of supervised release.

An attorney who represents Hernandez didn’t respond to a request for comment.

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