ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – An Albuquerque man has been convicted by a federal jury of assaulting a federal officer at the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, New Mexico. The three-day trial concluded with the jury’s decision following just over two hours of deliberation.
Court documents and evidence presented at trial revealed that Anthony Hernandez, who was in custody at the Cibola County Correctional Center awaiting trial for a federal firearms offense, attacked a security consultant contracted by CoreCivic, the private company managing the facility. The incident occurred on November 15, 2022, during a routine inspection of Hernandez’s cell.
Surveillance footage from the correctional center captured Hernandez pushing open his unlocked cell door and launching an unprovoked attack on the victim. The security consultant, who was assisting with the cell inspection, sustained multiple injuries, including cuts, bruises, a concussion, and a broken nose requiring surgery.
Following the jury’s guilty verdict, the Court ordered Hernandez to remain in custody pending sentencing. Hernandez could face up to 20 years in prison for this assault. Federal law stipulates that there is no parole in the federal system.
This conviction marks the second time in less than six months that Hernandez has been found guilty at trial.
In October 2024, Hernandez was convicted by a federal jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm in an unrelated case. According to court documents, Hernandez is also currently under indictment for another alleged assault on a federal officer, which occurred in March 2023 while he was held at the Otero County Prison Facility.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico, Alexander M.M. Uballez, and United States Marshal David Barnett announced the verdict. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service in conjunction with the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Kimberly Bell are prosecuting the case.