Phoenix, Arizona - A man currently serving his fifth year in the Arizona Department of Corrections on state drug charges was convicted Friday of federal drug trafficking violations after a multiagency probe, that included U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), revealed he was continuing to operate his drug scheme from within the walls of the state prison system.
Information provided to federal investigators by detectives with the Mesa Police Department indicated Luis Felix-Hernandez, 28, had obtained a cellphone to continue directing the activities of his drug trafficking organization while incarcerated.
“HSI’s collaboration with our federal and local law enforcement partners continues to yield significant results in Arizona,” said Bradford A. Bench, interim special agent in charge of HSI Phoenix. “Drug traffickers who seek to bypass law enforcement, especially while behind bars, can expect to face serious consequences. One by one, we’re working together to seek out and dismantle these criminal organizations.”
Special agents with HSI and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) developed information, based on leads provided by the Mesa Police Department, that Felix-Hernandez was continuing to oversee the activities of the drug trafficking ring he headed from within the confines of the prison. The ensuing investigation further revealed that the defendant’s brother, Josue Benjamin Felix-Hernandez, was a co-conspirator. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against both men Aug. 5, 2015.
“This investigation clearly demonstrates the extraordinary lengths criminals go through to continue their illicit activities and profit from victimizing our communities,” said Doug Coleman, special agent in charge of DEA Arizona. “DEA and our law enforcement friends at all levels will never relent in our quest to protect our neighborhoods from the scourge of drug abuse and addiction.”
The Felix-Hernandez brothers were responsible for trafficking significant quantities of methamphetamine throughout Arizona. The investigation resulted in the cumulative seizure of 13 pounds of methamphetamine, one pound of cocaine, and one handgun. Josue Felix-Hernandez pleaded guilty to his role in the methamphetamine trafficking organization and was sentenced earlier this year to six years in prison. Luis Felix-Hernandez faces a statutory minimum sentence of 20 years.
“The recent conviction of Luis Felix-Hernandez serves as a great example of the investigative reach that comes from cooperation and partnership between law enforcement agencies,” said Mesa Assistant Police Chief Michael Dvorak. “I am proud of the officers and detectives of the Mesa Police Department who, along with the joint DEA and Homeland Security Investigations, spent countless hours and were tenacious in their determination to have a successful investigation and subsequent conviction.”
This investigation was spearheaded by HSI, the DEA, and the Mesa Police Department’s Narcotics Unit, with additional support provided by the Arizona Department of Corrections, and the Phoenix Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.