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 convicted felon. The sentence, handed down by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone, is the statutory maximum allowed by law. In addition to the prison term, Hernandez will serve three years of supervised release.
United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the sentencing. Hernandez was charged by superseding information and pleaded guilty in August.
According to case filings and admissions made by Hernandez, he possessed a 9mm semiautomatic pistol loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition despite knowing that his status as a convicted felon prohibited him from owning firearms. Authorities discovered the weapon after receiving credible information indicating that Hernandez and three other men were allegedly planning retaliation for an earlier shooting.
The investigation was conducted by 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.
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