Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced that Francisco Hernandez, 53 years old, was convicted of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class “C” violent felony. Hernandez was found guilty last week after a jury trial which was presided over by Westchester County Court Judge Maurice Williams.
Hernandez was arrested on March 4, 2025 after he was found in possession of a loaded 9mm “ghost gun” in the Town of Mount Pleasant. This arrest was made as the result of a collaborative investigation conducted by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the Mount Pleasant Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. At the time of this arrest, Hernandez was on parole after serving 25 years for Attempted Murder in the Second Degree.
This successful investigation was made possible in part due to the nationally recognized Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative. GIVE provides state funding to local law enforcement agencies for equipment, overtime and personnel, and provides comprehensive, focused training and technical assistance to those agencies. The GIVE initiative is a key component of New York State’s comprehensive plan to reduce shootings and firearm-related violent crime in communities outside of New York City.
DA Cacace said: “Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the multiple law enforcement agencies involved in this joint investigation, a violent offender is off our streets and another deadly ghost gun has been removed from our community. This investigation underscores the importance of New York State’s GIVE initiative.”
Last week, DA Cacace and Governor Kathy Hochul lauded a reduction in gun violence in Westchester and across New York State as a result of the GIVE initiative.
Hernandez faces up to 15 years in state prison when he is sentenced on December 5.
This case was prosecuted by Division Chief of Investigations John O’Rourke and ADA Andre Ingenito.
