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Key witness deported before trial, allowing two alleged meth smugglers to be acquitted

Mar 2025·Location: Los Angeles, CA

Country of origin: Mexico

Key witness deported before trial, allowing two alleged meth smugglers to be acquitted
Photo via independent.co.uk

Javier Hernandez, a cooperating witness prepared to testify in a federal methamphetamine case in California, was deported to Mexico by ICE in March 2025 without notifying prosecutors. The 2015 case involved nearly 22 pounds of methamphetamine discovered in a vehicle; without Hernandez's testimony linking the defendants to the smuggling operation, both co-defendants were acquitted of all charges. U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder noted ICE did not consult with Los Angeles prosecutors before removing him from the country.

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