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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon, Thread
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SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 7 – The prosecution of the brother of Honduras' president for guns and drug running began with a bang on October 2 with the charge that already life imprisoned El Chapo Guzman gave the defendant $1 million for this brother, the president. On October 7, sworn witness Alex Ardon described the meeting, with both El Chapo and Tony Hernandez present and the cash in plastic bags, see thread and see below.

The trial is before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge P. Kevin Castel and Inner City Press is live tweeting it. See also Patreon here on the fast mention and shut-down of Nikki Haley's name.

  On the afternoon of October 7 Alex Ardon continued on the stand, now describing working with El Chapo and Pepe Lobo to preserve his drug turf on the Guatemala border, paying Tony Hernandez for helicopters and having "El Chino" killed. Here's some of how it went:

Q: In 2010, what were the approximate sizes of shipments of cocaine in the defendant's helicopter? A: 320 kilos of cocaine.

 Q: Was there another helicopter? A: Yes. It is a black helicopter. Q: How often did you speak with the defendant about these shipments of cocaine? Who else attended? A: Mario Calix, Melvin Pinto... Hugo and myself

Ardon (naming names) Daniel Pinto, Hugo Pinto, Orlando Pinto, other Pintos... Q: Bring up Government Exhibit 105, at the top. Is that Mario Calix? Ardon: Yes. Q: And Exhibit 111, is this the "Primo" you mentioned earlier? Ardon: Yes.

 Q: Did anything change in how cocaine was delivered in 2011? Ardon: It changed from helicopters to boats. Q: Did Tony Hernandez explain why? Ardon: Yes. He said with boats we could traffic a larger amount of cocaine, more than with helicopters. Inner City Press @innercitypress · 48m Q: How much cocaine did the boats carry? Ardon: The first shipment was 750 kilos. Q: And what did you do with those 750 kilos? Ardon: I transported them to Guatemala.

Ardon: The largest quantity of cocaine that Tony Hernandez sent by boat was 1,600 kilos of cocaine. Q: When you moved it by truck, was there security? How provided it? Ardon: Tony Hernandez and I did. Q: Who participated? Ardon: Tony Hernandez' cousin.

 Q: How were the trucks protected? Ardon: M16s and AR-15s. Q: You said the security team in El Paraiso also had AK47s and bazookas? Ardon: Yes, always.

 Q: In 2011 did you sell cocaine to Chapo Guzman using the Televisa trucks? Ardon: Yes. Q: Who else was involved? Ardon: Tony Hernandez, Noel and Victor Blanco Q: Were the Valle brothers also involved? Ardon: Yes.

Ardon: Tony Hernandez told me he was awaiting a cocaine shipment of 1000 kilos. Q: Did it arrive? Where? Ardon: To the departamento of Colon

 Q: How were they armed? Ardon: With rifles. Q: And this Primo, how many were with him in the security detail? Ardon: Three cars, with four people in each. Q: Did you know where they worked, from how they were dressed? Ardon: With the police. The national police.

Q: What stamps did you see on the cocaine. Ardon: The T.H. stamp, and also Nike, and a stick figure, and a star. AUSA: The T.H. stamp like in Exhibit 305? Ardon: Yes.  

 Ardon: Tony Hernandez told me Franklin Arita had to be killed, that he would call Copan police chief Tigre Bonilla and get it done. AUSA: And then what happened? Ardon: He was killed.

 AUSA: I'd like to focus now on 2012... Did you have any meetings with Chapo Guzman that year? Ardon: Yes. In Guatemala. AUSA: Who else was there? Ardon: Otto, Don Amado, Chapo and I were there... AUSA: Does Exh 115 show Orellana? Ardon: Yes

 Ardon: Orellana is a very powerful drug trafficker in Guatelama. AUSA: In 2012 with Chapo, did you speak about Orellana? Ardon: Chapo Guzman said Orellana had stolen one shipment of cocaine from him and would be taking over the Guatemala - Honduras border

 AUSA: After Chapo said that, did you make any proposals? Ardon: I told Chapo that Orellana would not take over the border because I was going to be talking with Pepe Lobo to provide me protection on the border.

Ardon: I told Tony Hernandez that Orellana was going to take over the border and that I needed security at that border. AUSA: And what did Tony Hernandez say? Ardon: Tony Hernandez told me that in order to get that security, Pepe Lobo was the only one who could

 AUSA: Did you talk with Pepe Lobo with Orellana? Did he do anything? Ardon: He sent two trucks to the border...  AUSA: Did you see the soldiers on the border? How many? Ardon: Around 120 soldiers. AUSA: How were they armed? Ardon: Bazookas and M16s. 

 Ardon: Tony H told me what as long as the National Party remained in power, I would not be extradited to the US. AUSA: Did Tony H. explain why he was not going to supply you with cocaine anymore? Ardon: He told me he was going to run, and his brother for President

AUSA: How much did Tony Hernandez charge you to use his helicopters to move cocaine? Ardon: $50,000 per trip. AUSA: Who provided the pilots? Ardon: Tony Hernandez. AUSA: Did he provide security? How? Ardon: He provided radar to make sure copters weren't stopped

 Ardon: 350 kilos of cocaine was the largest amount that a helicopter could get off the ground while carrying  AUSA: Where there any problems with the drug worker you called El Chino? Ardon: Yes, Chino got arrested.

AUSA: What did Tony Hernandez says about Chino?  Ardon: Tony Hernandez said Chino would have to be killed, because he had all the information about the helicopters...

 Ardon: I told Blanco that Chino had to be murdered. AUSA: And what happened to him? Ardon: He was murdered. AUSA: Where?  Judge Castel, at 5 pm on the dot, calls end of day. 

Earlier on October 7 Ardon took the stand, estimating how much cocaine he trafficked into the United States and describing the meeting with El Chapo and Tony Hernandez. Here's some of how it went, from Inner City Press' live tweets:

With re-direct [of Dario Euraque, see thread] over, the next US witness is Alex Ardon. AUSA: Have you participated in torture? Ardon: Yes. AUSA: Do you know Tony Hernandez? Can you identify him? Ardon: Yes, and yes (pointed at defense table). Inner City Press @innercitypress · 1h AUSA: During what years did Tony Hernandez help you and your family distribute cocaine? Ardon: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013...

AUSA: Did Tony Hernandez tell you about his stamp on cocaine? Ardon: Yes. He told me a shipment was coming in with his stamp T.H. on it.  AUSA: Did you ever see Tony Hernandez armed? Ardon: All the time

Did Tony Hernandez talk to you about other guns?  Ardon: Yes, an M-60. It is a big gun.

Breaking: AUSA asked Ardon, did you meet El Chapo Guzman? Ardon: Yes, in 2013 in El Paraiso. AUSA: Was Tony Hernandez there? Ardon: Yes. AUSA: Were payments made? Ardon: Yes.

 Ardon: El Chapo Guzman said to Tony Hernandez, I am going to give $1 million for your brother Juan Orlando Hernandez. AUSA: Did you see the money? Ardon: Yes. It was brought in from the car in plastic bags. We counted it.

AUSA: Does Government Exhibit 314 fairly and accurately describe the weapon you just described as a bazooka? Ardon: Yes.  AUSA: How cocaine did you move into the US? Ardon: I don't understand the question.

AUSA: How cocaine did you and your family move into the US? Ardon: Around some 250 tons. AUSA: Did your relatives participate? Ardon: Hugo Ardon, Lionel Leiva... AUSA: What about brothers in law? Ardon: Yes... one was at the meeting with El Chapo.

 AUSA: What did your cocaine stamp look like?  Alex Ardon: "A double A."

 AUSA: Did Tony Hernandez tell you what he was using his lab for in Lempira? Ardon: Yes, he told me it was to rebuild kilos, like if they got wet.

 AUSA: What type of drug trafficking activities did Blanco do with you? Ardon: I would buy from him.. He would provide me security... We started working together in 2004. AUSA: When did you stop? Ardon: When Blanco was arrested.

AUSA: What departments of Honduras did Blanco do most of this business in?  With that, Judge Castel declares the lunch break, telling the jurors not to discuss the case. 

 On the afternoon of October 4 Tony Hernandez' lawyer Omar Malone questioned cooperating witness Victor Hugo Diaz Morales about shooting his wife in the face, and where all of his drug profits were hidden (farms and houses, it seems). More on Patreon here. Here are two exhibits, and here's how some of it went: "Tony Hernandez' lawyer Omar Malone is asking the cooperating witness how and when he got his deal. AUSA Houle objects, referring to privileged information. 

Malone: Do you recall signing a document that you would not falsely incriminate anyone? Witness (pause) Please repeat the question. Malone: You knew you were supposed to tell the truth during that meeting. Witness: The document was in English.

Malone: Do you remember an interpreter translating it for you into Spanish? Witness: I don't remember. Malone: Did Tony Hernandez come up in that meeting? Witness: I don't remember the topics that came up.

 Malone: I started out by asking you about being truthful- Judge Castel: Just ask the question. Malone: Would an honest man lie? Witness: I already told you, I was afraid. Malone: You never had any problem exacting punishment on people in your history, right?

 Malone: Are you telling this jury that despite your history you were afraid of this gentleman (gestures at Tony Hernandez) and that is why you lied to prosecutors? Witness: I cannot suggest anything to the jury.

Malone: When you were arrested you had a cell phone, right? Witness: Yes. Malone: They downloaded the information from your phone, right? Witness: Yes.  Malone: Did you use WhatsApp? Witness: No. Malone: So only phone and text and in person? Witness: Yes

 Malone: And the only way you can get that 40 year sentence reduced is if the prosecutors file something with the court that Mr. Diaz Morales has been cooperative, right? Witness: It will also have full detail of all my crimes.

Malone: You know you have to please the prosecutors with your cooperation in order to get that reduction request? Witness: That is not correct.  Malone: Is it fair to say you don't want to spend 40 years in prison in the US? Witness: That's right.

Inner City Press will continue to cover this and other SDNY and 2nd Circuit cases - watch this site, and there is more on Patreon, here.