PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – A New Port Richey man who spent years crisscrossing the country to strip high-end electronics from parked aircraft is heading back to federal prison for a decade. Mario Mercier Hernandez, 61, received the statutory maximum sentence of 10 years from U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle for the interstate transportation of stolen property.
The sentence, announced by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe, follows Mercier’s guilty plea on July 25, 2025.
Federal prosecutors detailed a prolific theft ring that began in 2019 and targeted more than 40 airports across the United States. Leveraging his expertise as an FAA-certified pilot, Mercier broke into planes at airfields in states including Florida, Tennessee, New Jersey, Maryland, and South Carolina.
Investigators say Mercier successfully stole more than $1.1 million worth of avionics equipment. The crime spree only came to a halt on May 23, 2024, when authorities caught him in the act of burglarizing aircraft at the Caldwell Executive Airport in Idaho.
To offload the stolen gear, Mercier utilized his Florida-based businesses, JWG International and JWG Aviation. While these companies claimed to provide humanitarian aid to children in Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Ukraine, the government proved they were actually used to list the stolen electronics on various websites for sale to unsuspecting buyers.
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This was not Mercier’s first brush with the law for these specific crimes. His record of aviation-related burglaries stretches back decades, with a 1993 conviction in Texas and another in Florida in 2007 for a nearly identical scheme.
“This investigation spanned multiple states and involved numerous agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Kehoe. “Clearly, it demonstrates the ability and resolve of our law enforcement partners to extend their reach and bring criminals to justice.”
Greg Thompson, Special Agent-in-Charge for the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, noted that the 10-year term serves as a warning.
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear and unequivocal message that those who engage in extensive, far-reaching schemes to steal, transport, and resell avionics equipment will face serious consequences,” Thompson said.
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