A Honduran national was sentenced on July 24 to 12 years in federal prison after being convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and attempted murder for hire in Greenbelt, Maryland.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis handed down the sentence to Frelin Hernandez Guardado, 30. Authorities said Hernandez Guardado had previously been removed from the United States twice. The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established under Executive Order 14159.
According to court documents, Hernandez Guardado sold firearms illegally on two occasions in October 2021. Federal law prohibits illegal aliens from possessing firearms. In December 2021, following arrests related to a local drug trafficking network, Hernandez Guardado told confidential sources that he intended to kill an individual he believed had cooperated with law enforcement. He offered discounted cocaine in exchange for assistance with committing the murder.
On January 12, 2022, Hernandez Guardado left his Virginia residence with over 900 grams of cocaine intending to sell it at a discount as part of his plan for murder for hire. Law enforcement arrested him in Maryland before the plan could be carried out.
The prosecution was led by U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation Baltimore Field Office; and Prince George’s County Police Department. Hayes commended these agencies as well as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Jaskiw and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth S. Clark, who prosecuted the case.
The Homeland Security Task Force includes multiple federal and local agencies working together against criminal cartels and transnational organizations operating within and outside the United States.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland prosecutes federal crimes, handles civil cases on behalf of the government, collects debts owed to federal agencies or victims where appropriate by law or contract terms; employs over 200 personnel across its divisions; serves nearly six million residents throughout Maryland; enhances quality of life through effective justice administration; counts alumni serving prominent roles in government and judiciary—all according to information available from the official website.