Gainesville felon sentenced to 12 years in federal prison

Staff report from U.S. Attorney for North Florida release

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – William Blas Hernandez, 28, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This is another successful prosecution under Operation Take Back America, which was launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice to remove violent, drug trafficking felons like this defendant from our communities. The residents of the Northern District of Florida deserve safe, drug-free streets, and that is exactly what my office is committed to delivering by aggressively prosecuting these cases and seeking maximum punishments.”

Charges arose from a traffic stop

At about 10 a.m. on July 5, 2025, a Gainesville Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Hernandez for driving 54 mph in a 45 mph zone in the 3800 block of NE 14th Street. When the officer asked if there were any illegal narcotics or weapons in the vehicle, Hernandez glanced at a gold backpack on the passenger floorboard and said there was nothing in the vehicle.

The officer reported that he saw a fresh marijuana “blunt” in the driver’s side door pocket, and a probable cause search of the vehicle produced a loaded 9mm pistol in the gold backpack; the pistol had been reported lost in Orlando. The backpack also held 42 grams of pressed pills, 18.6 grams of methamphetamines, 2.1 grams of an unknown purple powder in a baggie, a digital scale, a pack of plastic baggies, and an ATM receipt for a transaction on Hernandez’s bank account.

Post Miranda, Hernandez reportedly said the backpack was not his and he didn’t know about any of its contents. When asked if his fingerprints would be found on any of the contents, he reportedly said they would not because he hadn’t touched anything inside the backpack.

Later, Hernandez reportedly said the backpack and its contents were his. He reportedly said the pressed pills were MDMA, the crystalline powder was methamphetamine, and he did not know what the purple powder was. He reportedly said he was selling illegal narcotics because of financial and family struggles.

When the officer asked where he got the gun, Hernandez reportedly said he found it on the side of the road in Interlachen. The officer asked Hernandez if he knew he was a convicted felon and was not allowed to possess firearms, and Hernandez reportedly said he was aware of those things.

Prison sentence will be followed by 10 years of probation

“Methamphetamine is capable of destroying families and ripping through communities,” said DEA Tampa Field Division Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar. “We will not stop until the flow of this poison has been removed from our streets.”

“We will not allow guns and drugs to corrupt our community. We will work with our federal partners to ensure that those who choose to engage in these activities are held accountable,” said Gainesville Police Chief Moya.

The defendant’s imprisonment will be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face additional prison time.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and James McCain.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.