Hawthorne Man Charged In Gun, Drug Trafficking Case

GAINESVILLE – A 27-year-old Hawthorne man is facing multiple felony charges after Gainesville police say he was found with trafficking quantities of drugs and a firearm reported lost out of Orlando during a July 5, 2025, traffic stop.

William Blas Hernandez was arrested around 10 a.m. Saturday after a Gainesville Police Department officer stopped a silver Mercedes-Benz traveling 54 mph in a 45-mph zone in the 3800 block of Northeast 14^th Street.

According to police reports, Hernandez told the officer he did not have a valid driver’s license and could not provide the vehicle’s registration. The officer noted Hernandez appeared nervous, with shaking hands and rapid breathing, and lit a cigarette during the encounter. When asked whether there were any illegal items in the vehicle, Hernandez reportedly glanced at a gold backpack on the passenger floorboard and claimed there was nothing illegal inside.

Due to his size and nervous behavior, Hernandez was asked to exit the vehicle. A records check confirmed his license was invalid, and he was placed in handcuffs. A passenger in the vehicle was also detained due to unrelated local warrants.

During a probable cause search, officers reported finding a loaded black Springfield Hellcat 9mm handgun inside the gold backpack. The firearm had been reported lost to the Orlando Police Department. Also inside the backpack, officers said they discovered 42 grams of pressed pills, 18.6 grams of methamphetamine, and 2.1 grams of an unknown purple powder. They also found a digital scale, a pack of plastic baggies and an ATM receipt reflecting a deposit into Hernandez’s bank account. An officer also observed a fresh cannabis blunt stem in the driver’s side door pocket.

Following Miranda warnings, both Hernandez and the passenger denied ownership of the backpack. The passenger stated his fingerprints would not be found on any of the items because he had not touched the bag. Hernandez initially claimed the ATM receipt must have fallen out of his wallet or pocket while in the car. He later said the passenger was picking up trash and placing it into the backpack.

Eventually, Hernandez reportedly admitted the backpack and its contents were his. He stated the pressed pills were MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy or molly) and the crystalline substance was methamphetamine, but said he was unsure of the identity of the purple powder. He told officers he was selling narcotics due to financial and family struggles.

When asked about the firearm, Hernandez claimed he found it on the side of the road in Interlachen. Officers noted that Hernandez acknowledged he was a convicted felon and knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Hernandez has been charged with trafficking in methamphetamines, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving without a valid license.

Authorities said Hernandez has at least eight prior felony convictions, including two violent offenses, and at least two misdemeanor convictions, also involving violence. He has served three prison sentences and was most recently released in January 2025 after serving time for burglary and drug possession in Alachua and Bradford counties.

Judge David Kreider set bond at $250,000.

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