Former Honduran President Is Found Guilty of Cocaine Trafficking

Juan Orlando Hernández, once viewed as U.S. ally in the war on drugs, faces up to life in prison

By James Fanelli and Ryan Dubé of The WSJ. Excerpts:

"Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was found guilty Friday of helping to ship more than 500 tons of cocaine into the U.S. in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes.

A New York federal jury convicted Hernández, 55 years old, of one count of conspiracy to import cocaine and two counts related to possessing a machine gun and destructive devices. 

The verdict capped the downfall of a powerful figure who dominated Honduran politics for nearly a decade. He was once viewed as an important ally of the U.S. in its war on drugs. His case was a rare instance of a former foreign head of state facing prosecution on U.S. soil.

Hernández lowered his head as the verdict was read. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26 and faces up to life in prison. A lawyer for Hernández said he planned to appeal the verdict.

Over the two-week trial, a parade of former drug traffickers testified for the prosecution that Hernández used his government powers to protect illicit shipments that passed through his country by land, sea and air. Witnesses spoke of secretive meetings, including one where former Mexican cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán agreed to provide $1 million to Hernández’s presidential campaign."