KC Reporter

A Kansas City man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his involvement in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. Juan Hernandez-Guzman, a 31-year-old Mexican national and permanent U.S. resident, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs without the possibility of parole. The court also ordered the forfeiture of $13,048, representing drug trafficking proceeds.

Hernandez-Guzman had pleaded guilty on April 16, 2024, to conspiracy charges related to distributing methamphetamine between April 10 and April 23, 2023.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hernandez-Guzman's residence on April 23, 2023. Officers discovered two loaded Glock handguns—one modified for automatic fire—and a non-functioning revolver. They seized $4,048 in cash and took protective custody of two children present at the scene.

In addition to firearms and cash found at his home, officers located 10.9 kilograms of methamphetamine inside a cardboard box in Hernandez-Guzman's vehicle along with $9,000 in cash.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Edwards and Megan A. Baker prosecuted the case following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and local police departments including those from Kansas City and Independence.

The prosecution was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative aimed at dismantling significant drug trafficking organizations through collaborative efforts across agencies.