United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

CONVICTED FELON SENTENCED TO MORE THAN 15 YEARS
IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR FIREARM CONVICTION

FORT WORTH, Texas — Michael Hernandez, 37, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge John H. McBryde to 188 months (more than 15 years) in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper. Hernandez pled guilty in December 2007 to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On January 10, 2007, Fort Worth Police officers observed a vehicle stopped in the main lane of traffic in the 1300 block of North East 31st Street in Fort Worth. Officers searched the vehicle and located a Ruger, .357 caliber revolver which belonged to Hernandez. Hernandez had previously been convicted in state court for burglary.

The case was presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for federal prosecution as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a collaborative effort by law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to aggressively prosecute firearm-related offenses by building on the effective strategies and partnerships developed under Project Safe Neighborhoods.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Fort Worth Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Lewis.

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