Alexander M.M. Uballez U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico
A federal jury has found an Albuquerque man guilty of assaulting a federal officer at the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, New Mexico. The conviction followed a three-day trial and just over two hours of jury deliberation.
Court documents and trial evidence revealed that on November 15, 2022, Anthony Hernandez attacked a security consultant during a routine inspection of his cell. Hernandez was in custody awaiting trial for a federal firearms offense at the time. The security consultant was employed by CoreCivic, which manages the correctional facility.
Surveillance footage showed Hernandez opening his unlocked cell door and attacking the victim without provocation. The attack resulted in cuts, bruises, a concussion, and a broken nose for the security consultant, who required surgery.
Following the conviction, Hernandez remains in custody awaiting sentencing. He could face up to 20 years in prison as there is no parole in the federal system.
Hernandez had previously been convicted by another federal jury in October 2024 for being a felon in possession of a firearm related to an unrelated offense. Additionally, he faces indictment for another assault on a federal officer that occurred in March 2023 while he was held at Otero County Prison Facility.
The announcement came from U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and United States Marshal David Barnett. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Kimberly Bell are handling prosecution duties.
