by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Substack
SDNY EXCLUSIVE, Feb 21 – After the president of Honduras' brother Tony Hernandez was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to life plus thirty years, on April 21, 2022 the ex-president himself, Juan Orlando Hernandez, was extradited to the United States.
[Espanol aqui]
On February 21, 2024, JOH's trial after opening statements had its first witness: accountant Jose Sanchez. Inner City Press live tweeted, thread here:
AUSA Jacob Gutwillig: The government calls Jose Sanchez. [an accountant at Graneros Nacionales
AUSA: Do you recognize anyone from Honduras here in the courtroom?
Sanchez: Yes, over there in the glasses, on the computer. It's Mr. Juan Orlando Hernandez. AUSA: This exhibit - who is this? Sanchez: Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez
AUSA: Where did you meet? Sanchez: In Graneros Nacionales, with my boss... They discussed protection for trafficking drugs. AUSA: Who would provide protection? Sanchez: Juan Orlando Hernandez. He said, we are going to shove the drugs up the noses of the gringos AUSA: When did you meet Geovanny Fuentes?
Sanchez: 2003 or 2004. He would come with a semi-automatic handgun. AUSA: Did you pay Geovanny Fuentes' employees, outside of Graneros? Sanchez: Yes. In 2010 at Cerro Negro. AUSA: How did you get there?
Sanchez: I would pass the police outpost and take the road up to Cerro Negro. AUSA: How long would it take? Sanchez: 25 to 30 minutes. AUSA: Is there a port nearby? Sanchez: Yes, Puerto Cortez. AUSA: What happened at Cerro Negro?
Sanchez: An armed employee of Geovanny Fuentes asked me what I was there for. He had an AK-47. There were three others with AR-15s. AUSA: Did you learn that law enforcement raided the location? Sanchez: Yes. March of 2011 AUSA: Did you know if Julio Cesar Barahona had a position in the Honduran government? JOH's lawyer: Objection! Judge Castel: Grounds? JOH's lawyer: The basis for his answer.
Judge Castel: Mr. Gutwillig, please back up [Loud microphone feedback in the courtroom] Sanchez: He was president of the judiciary. AUSA: Who names that position?
JOH's lawyer: Objection! Judge: Overruled.
Sanchez: The president of the national congress. Juan Orlando Hernandez. AUSA: Did you hear what was said in the office? Sanchez: El Jefe sent me AUSA: Who was El Jefe? Sanchez: JOH. AUSA: And who was the guy El Jefe helping? Sanchez: Geovanny Fuentes - to expunge his record regarding the drug lab case. Barahona asked for 30,000 lempiras.
AUSA: From whom? Sanchez: Geovanny Fuentes. He borrowed from Jarufe Sanchez: I made the check to Barahona, in Lempiras, and charged it to the account of Geovanny Fuentes.... AUSA: How would JOH travel to Graneros? Sanchez: In a blue helicopter - he received a company check. AUSA: How do you know that? Sanchez: I gave it to him. AUSA: How much?
Sanchez: 250,000 lempiras, from Graneros Nacionales. AUSA: Anyone else get checks? Sanchez: Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales in 2005, he was running for President with the Liberal Party. And Porfirio Lobo Sosa, Pepe - in 2005 and 2009 AUSA: In 2005, was Pepe Lobo running for office? Sanchez: Yes, for president, with the National Party. He was not elected. AUSA: In 2009?
Sanchez: Pepe Lobo ran for president again. He got monthly checks from Graneros. 100,000 lempiras each. AUSA: When JOH was running for president, did you hear him speak with Jarufe? Sanchez: Yes. He said if he was elected, he had a plan to stay in power up to 25 years - He said, we are robbing better than Rafael Leonardo Callejas Romero did
Sanchez: Polo [Leopoldo Crivelli] was running for mayor of Chaloma. JOH asked him, Are you going to snag it again, Polo? AUSA: What did he say?
Sanchez: Polo said, things are tough now. JOH said, The Indian is a dumb ass, give him a steak and a beer, he'll vote
AUSA: Who is "El Indio"?
Sanchez: The Honduran.
AUSA: Let's focus on the first meeting. Did you learn JOH was coming to Graneros? Sanchez: Yes. My boss told me. AUSA: What did your boss tell you? JOH's lawyer: Objection! Judge: Overruled. Sanchez: My boss said, JOH wants us to purchase some dollars from him.... I heard JOH tell Geovanny Fuentes he wanted his drug lab to work for him. Geovanny Fuentes called him Juancho. AUSA: Did you call him Juancho?
Sanchez: No. Only those close to him did AUSA: Did JOH speak about his brother Tony? Sanchez: Yes. He told Geovanny Fuentes he'd give him Tony's number, to put Geovanny at his disposal.
AUSA: Where did JOH say the drugs would go?
Sanchez: Up the gringos' noses.
AUSA: Meaning?
Sanchez: The USA Sanchez: Geovanny Fuentes opened a briefcase with bundles of twenty dollar bills - he gave it to JOH and said, Use it for your campaign. JOH said to me, Jose, change these to Lempiras for me. I counted it on the round table.
Sanchez: It took me 3 to 5 minutes. JOH was at the table, stirring his drink with his finger. AUSA: How much was there? Sanchez: $15,000 dollars. They asked me to make the check to myself. I said no. So it was to my boss. AUSA: And the second meeting? Sanchez: Again, JOH said, Jose, exchange these for me. AUSA: Was there a meeting with Sauceda?
Sanchez: Yes. There was a box - when I opened it I saw uniforms and police license plates. And bullet proof vests AUSA: Are these photos of Geovanny Fuentes' sons? Sanchez: Yes. Here is JOH & the son called "Geo."
Judge: We'll take a break [thread will continue ¿Son fotos de Geovanny y sus hijos? Sánchez: Sí... Juez Castel: Nos tomaremos un descanso - el hilo continuará Programming note: Honduras trial coverage continues on -have to go cover US v. Bankman-Fried, Crypto Criminal (book as also aim to do on JOH: La cobertura del juicio en Honduras continúa en MatthewLeeICP
More details on X for subscribers here and Substack here
The case is US v. Diaz Morales, et al., 15-cr-379 (Castel)
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