California Man Indicted for Meth

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a California man who tried to pass through Kansas City on a Greyhound bus with more than five pounds of methamphetamine taped to his midsection was indicted by a federal grand jury today.

Felipe Hernandez, 20, of Los Angeles, Calif., was charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Hernandez on Sept. 8, 2016. Hernandez remains in federal custody without bond.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, officers with the MOWIN (Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics) Task Force saw Hernandez get off a Greyhound bus originating from Los Angeles at the Greyhound Bus Terminal located at 1101 Troost Ave., Kansas City, Mo., on Sept. 7, 2016. An officer spoke to Hernandez, whom the affidavit says was nervous, would not make eye contact, was not able to stand still, was looking around and offered only short responses to questions.

Hernandez began walking away through the parking lot but was stopped again by officers, who noticed a bulge in his midsection. Officers searched Hernandez and found two long, flat bundles that were wrapped in duct tape and affixed around his midsection. The bundles allegedly contained a total of 5.4 pounds of methamphetamine.

Hernandez told investigators he was delivering the methamphetamine to Boston.

Dickinson cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Orsinger. It was investigated by the MOWIN (Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics) Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Platte County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.