Confessed gunrunner was 'awed' by Aaron Hernandez - and beaten in prison for being mistakenly named a witness against him 

  • Oscar Hernandez Jr has pleaded guilty to transporting firearms, obstruction of justice, lying to a federal grand jury and witness tampering
  • Confessed to shipping Aaron Hernandez three weapons a month before Odin Lloyd's killing June 2013 
  • Hernandez Jr said he was blinded by New England Patriot's fame and 'grateful to be noticed' 
  • Aaron Hernandez has been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole  

A gun trafficker for convicted killer Aaron Hernandez said he was 'awed' by the former New England Patriots star when he sent him an assault rifle and a pair of handguns a month before Odin Lloyd’s killing.

Oscar 'Papoo' Hernandez Jr - no relation to the disgraced NFL player - has pleaded guilty to weapons charges in connection to his infamous namesake’s murder case.

Earlier this month, Aaron Hernandez, 25, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder of the semi-professional football player in 2013.

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Oscar Hernandez Jr
In this April 1, 2015 file photo, former New England Patriots NFL football player Aaron Hernandez listens as prosecution witness Alexander Bradley testifies during his murder trial

Bad bro-mance: Oscar Hernandez Jr (left), 24, said he was 'awed' by New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez (right) and 'grateful to be noticed' when the football player paid him $15,000 for three guns

Unfortunate timing: Oscar Hernandez  shipped his namesake a rifle and two handguns in April 2013 - a month before the NFL player shot dead Odin Lloyd (pictured on screen in court)

Unfortunate timing: Oscar Hernandez  shipped his namesake a rifle and two handguns in April 2013 - a month before the NFL player shot dead Odin Lloyd (pictured on screen in court)

Hernandez had been a rising star in the NFL with a $41million contract when he was arrested in June of that year.

In a sentencing memo in Oscar Hernandez’s weapons case released this week to Boston Herald the 24-year-old Florida man stated that he was blinded by the football player's fame ,'grateful to be noticed [by him], and had no way of anticipating the terrible events which would follow.'

Although Oscar Hernandez was never called to testify against Aaron Hernandez during his trial earlier this month, his lawyer wrote in the memorandum to Judge William Young that his client was beaten by fellow inmates at the Wyatt Detention Center 'after having been incorrectly listed as a government witness.'

Following the attack, Oscar Hernandez spent some time in solitary confinement at the Rhode Island jail.

Mr Hernandez, a father from Belle Glen, Florida, is now facing up to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty in January to charges of transporting firearms across state lines; obstruction of justice; lying to a federal grand jury and witness tampering.

Former NFL player Aaron Hernandez listens as the guilty verdict is read during his murder trial at the Bristol County Superior Court in Fall River, Massachusetts, April 15
Odin Lloyd

Justice for Odin: The 25-year-old athlete (left) was found guilty April 15 of first-degree murder in the 2013 shooting death of the semi-professional football player (right)

The confessed gun smuggler was scheduled to be sentenced Monday, but Judge Young has delayed the punishment phase until May 5. Public defender Charles McGinty, who represents Hernandez, is seeking a sentence of one year and one day for his client.

Investigators said the Florida resident shipped three guns including FEG 7.62x39 Hungarian rifle, to Aaron Hernandez in the spring of 2013.

The weapons had been stashed inside a beat-up Toyota Camry that was found in the football player's garage in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.

A friend of Oscar Hernandez testified during the NFL star’s trial that the gun trafficker purchased the weapons April 16, 2013, five days after Aaron transferred $15,000 into his account.

Oscar Hernandez was arrested April 17, 2014, and indicted by a grand jury in Massachusetts on gun trafficking charges.

Back behind bars: Following the sentencing phase, Hernandez was handcuffed and returned to jail. He has since been transferred to a maximum-security facility 

Back behind bars: Following the sentencing phase, Hernandez was handcuffed and returned to jail. He has since been transferred to a maximum-security facility 

The indictment stated that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had traced three guns that had been recovered during the investigation of Odin Lloyd's killing. The ATF determined that all three guns were purchased in Florida in April 2013.

Massachusetts officials said they have been unable to find the gun used to kill Lloyd, which they've identified as a .45-caliber Glock. None of the three guns mentioned in Oscar Hernandez's indictment is a .45-caliber Glock.

Meanwhile, his notorious namesake was transferred last week to the maximum security state Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley to begin serving his life sentence.

Aaron Hernandez is also awaiting a trial date for the 2012 homicides of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado.