HARTFORD, Conn.– HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Dennis Hernándezthe troubled brother of late New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez pleaded guilty Wednesday to threatening a shooting rampage at the University of Connecticut and killing three people out of state, including a judge, in 2023, federal prosecutors said.
The 38-year-old Hernandez, who went by “DJ” in the mid-2000s when he played football for UConn, appeared in federal court in Hartford and pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate communications in which there was a risk of injury, punishable by a prison sentence of can last for a maximum of five years. Sentencing was set for February 6.
His public defender did not immediately return an email seeking comment Wednesday. A woman who answered a phone number for his mother, Terri Hernandez, declined to comment.
Terri Hernandez told police around his arrest in Bristol last year that he had worsening mental health problems, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Dennis Hernandez was shocked with a stun gun and taken into custody after leaving his sister’s home with his arms raised, shouting “shoot me” and threatening to harm officers, police said.
Federal prosecutors said Hernandez threatened a shooting at UConn’s main campus in Storrs in July 2023 while messaging another person on Facebook.
“I would recommend staying away from there because if I go I will take everything down,” Hernandez wrote, according to court documents. “And don’t curse who gets caught in the crossfire. I have been dead for years and now it is others’ turn. I am willing to give my life. …Not all shootings are bad, I realize. Some are necessary for change to happen.”
According to court records, Hernandez was struggling financially, was frustrated when he saw other people being hired as football coaches and felt indebted to UConn. He played quarterback and wide receiver for the Huskies.
Police said Hernandez drove to the UConn campus and to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he once served as quarterbacks coach, to “map the schools” for a shooting.
Also in July 2023, prosecutors said Hernandez made multiple Facebook messages threatening to harm or kill three people living outside Connecticut, including a state court judge.
Hernandez has filed suit in state court in Connecticut in connection with an incident outside ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol. He was arrested in March 2023 misdemeanor and breach of peace charges after police say he threw a bag containing a rock and a note over a fence and onto ESPN property before leaving.
“To all media, it is time for all of you to take a closer look at the influence the media has on all family members. Because you are a global leader, perhaps you can direct the way media and messages are delivered brick by brick. Clean it! Sincerely, Dennis J. Hernandez,” the note said, according to police.
Authorities said Hernandez was angry at people he believed were profiting from his younger brother’s death. Aaron Hernandez committed suicide in 2017 while serving a murder sentence.