Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, 64, the former chief of the Honduran National Police, received a 19-year prison sentence on Thursday for his role in protecting cocaine shipments destined for the U.S. Known as "El Tigre,"
Bonilla Valladares had a lengthy police career and led the force in 2012.
Prosecutors revealed he facilitated large-scale cocaine trafficking and used violence to safeguard the drug trade.
Manhattan federal court Judge P. Kevin Castel delivered the sentence, shorter than the 30 years requested by prosecutors. Despite admitting to the drug conspiracy, Bonilla Valladares denied involvement in any murders.
His defense attorney, Donald Vogelman, argued for a 10-year sentence, highlighting his client's intermittent involvement in illegal activities and his significant contributions to Honduras. Vogelman also cited Bonilla Valladares's poor health and potential danger if he returns to Honduras post-incarceration.
Retired Honduran National Police commissioner Henry Osorio Canales commented on the case, saying it exemplified the corruption within Honduran institutions, which served drug traffickers' interests. Osorio called Bonilla Valladares the "armed branch" of a corrupt government.
In court, Bonilla Valladares's son, Juan Carlos Bonilla, expressed his father's intention to appeal, maintaining his innocence and describing the guilty plea as a strategic move for future freedom. He labeled the prosecution as politically motivated.
Prosecutors detailed how Bonilla Valladares accepted bribes and provided armed protection for cocaine shipments across Honduras, directing corrupt officers and leaking sensitive law enforcement information.
Arrested on March 9, 2022, Bonilla Valladares was linked to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández and his brother Tony Hernández, both convicted of drug charges. Juan Orlando received a 45-year sentence in June, while Tony was sentenced to life in 2021.
This high-profile case underscores the extensive corruption and drug trafficking ties within Honduran leadership.
