by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Substack
SDNY EXCLUSIVE, Feb 27 – 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 27, after more meandering cross examination of Alex Monroy Murillo aka Luis Perez, Devis Rivera Maradiaga took the stand, here:
Maradiaga: I was a DEA informant.
AUSA: When did you start? Maradiaga: November 2013. AUSA: When pled in January 2015, did you have a cooperation agreement? Maradiaga: Yes.
AUSA: How many murders are you responsible for?
Maradiaga: 78. AUSA: Were others injured by not killed? Maradiaga: Yes. 15. AUSA: Did you torture? Maradiaga: Yes. AUSA: Are you familiar with JOH? Maradiaga: Yes. He was president of the national congress, then president of the Republic.
AUSA: What names to you know him by? Maradiaga: John, J.O. or Juancho. AUSA: With what did you bribe JOH? And when? Maradiaga: In 2012, with $250,000. It was sent to Tegucigalpa to his sister Hilda. AUSA: What did you expect for it? Maradiaga: Protection for the Cachiros and my brother Javier. & government contracts to our businesses
AUSA: Who were the leaders of the Cachiros? Devis: Me and my brother Javier Rivera. AUSA: When did you start drug trafficking? Devis: 2002. AUSA: Let's review this photo - who are these? Devis: Miguel Valle and JOH -Miguel said, Look buddy, I gathered with JOH AUSA: Do you know Nery Sanabria? Devis: Yes. He asked me to receive planes loaded with cocaine AUSA: Did you know someone named Milo?
Devis: Yes, he was a trafficker & sicario working for the Valles. AUSA: Did you know Alex Ardon? Devis: I met him at a Valle wake AUSA: Did you know Hugo Ardon? Devis: Yes. President of Fondo Vial. AUSA: Have you heard the name Byron Ruiz? Devis: Yes. A drug trafficker around 2010.
AUSA: Have you heard the name Fredy Najara? Devis: Another trafficker. I worked with him. He was in congress AUSA: Who is this? [Photo] Devis: Pepe Lobo. AUSA: Have you met him in person? Devis: Yes. First in 2009. He was president of congress then, running for president of the republic. AUSA: Did you pay him a bribe? Devis: Yes. For protection.
AUSA: Who is Fabio Lobo?
Devis: He's Pepe Lobo's son. He held the Cachiros. AUSA: How? Devis: He gave us contracts, to INRIMAR. AUSA: Did you bribe Fabio Lobo? Devis: Yes. AUSA: When did Pepe Lobo end his term? Devis: 2013. AUSA: Why did Fabio Lobo have a presidential security escort? Devis: He was president Pepe Lobo's son... He might go ahead of us to help with the truck.
Judge Castel: We're taking a break.
jury leaves
Judge Castel: After Mr. Rivera, how many witnesses do you have left? AUSA: 7 to 10 witnesses. Judge Castel: How many are cooperators? AUSA: Approximately 3. Judge Castel: Are the others long? I may ask again - to give jurors an idea. Recess.
They're back. Jury entering! AUSA Gutwillig: Who was Tinoco Pacheco? Devis: Head of presidential security. AUSA: How did you move the drug loads with Fabio Lobo? Devis: The Cachiros cartel, we got cocaine from Colombia, some by plane on clandestine air strips AUSA: How would you transport it? Devis: Trucks with hidden compartments, false bottoms.
AUSA: What type of trucks? Devis: All kinds. AUSA: Who is Cinco? Devis: A Colombian drug trafficker. AUSA: Edgar Rios? Devis: No. AUSA: Pluto? Devis: Yes. AUSA: Who is this? [Photo] Devis: Pepe Lobo. And JOH. AUSA: Did you support JOH's campaign for president? Devis: Yes, after I spoke with Fabio Lobo. AUSA: Were you invited to a birthday party? Devis: Pepe Lobo's brother Ramon, Moncho Lobo.
AUSA: And who's this? [Photo] Devis: Oscar Najara. AUSA: Did you attend Moncho Lobo's birthday party? Devis: No. But Javier called me from the party. We spoke for 20 or 30 minutes. AUSA: What did he say? Devis: He said, JOH is here. Devis: Javier told me he spoke with JOH, that he would help with narco trafficking, protect us from extradition.
AUSA: Did you speak with anyone else while the birthday party was going on? Devis: Yes. With another narco- AUSA: Nefali? Devis: Nefali Duarte Mejia AUSA: Did he call you? Devis: Yes, a video call - I could see JOH, Neftali had his arm around JOH. AUSA: Did you see others? Devis: Other narcos: Ramon Mata, Moreno Blanco, more
AUSA: What did the space look like? Devis: A private room. AUSA: And later in Oscar Najara's residence, what was discussed? Devis: The birthday party, the agreements reached with JOH. Oscar Najara put his phone on speaker phone and called JOH. Oscar said, I'm here with los amigos, we'll meet in Tegucigalpa as agreed. AUSA: When you gave the money Fernando, what did you tell him?
Devis: Take it from the false-bottom truck and drive it to Tegucigalpa. He delivered it to Javier and Oscar Najara. Javier told me he told Hilda the money was for protection and gov't contracts
AUSA: What did Javier tell you Hilda has said? Devis: That JOH was a man of his word, that what was said would happen, that's why she was receiving the money. AUSA: What did Hilda -- JOH's lawyer: Objection. She's not part of the conspiracy. AUSA: There's been testimony she received bribe money for JOH.
Judge Castel: I'll allow it AUSA: Have you heard of OFAC? Devis: Yes. They sanctioned the Cachiros in 2013. AUSA: Did any part of the Honduran government seize assets?
Devis: Yes. OABI. AUSA: Did anyone help you evade OABI? Devis: Yes. Fabio Lobo. Judge Castel: that ends our day
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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