Attorney General Mayes Secures 9.25-Year Prison Sentence for Man Convicted in Heroin Trafficking Case

PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes announced that Edgardo Dominguez-Cortez has been sentenced to 9.25 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to transport and sell heroin pills in Buckeye.

“Illicit drugs are devastating Arizona families,” said Attorney General Mayes. “My office will keep working with law enforcement partners like the Buckeye Police Department to stop traffickers and hold them accountable.”

On December 21, 2024, Buckeye Police pulled over a car in which Dominguez-Cortez was a passenger, along with Jesus Beltran Bajorquez and Marcos Ochoa. A search of the car uncovered a cereal box containing approximately 8,000 pills, which tested positive for heroin.

A search of Dominguez-Cortez’s phone revealed a video of the pill-filled box, along with messages in which he conspired with the other men about taking part in a drug deal. Downloads of Bajorquez’s and Ochoa’s phones showed similar conversations about the deal, including messages indicating Dominguez-Cortez had been invited to participate.

When he committed these offenses, Dominguez-Cortez was on felony probation out of Santa Cruz County for a drug-trafficking-related money laundering offense.

All three men were charged with Conspiracy, Illegally Conducting an Enterprise, and Transportation of a Narcotic Drug for Sale. Bajorquez and Ochoa pleaded guilty and were sentenced to four years and eight years in prison, respectively. Dominguez-Cortez went to trial in August 2026, and on August 13, 2026, a jury found him guilty on all charges.

On September 28, 2026, Dominguez-Cortez was sentenced to concurrent prison terms on all counts, the longest of which is 9.25 years.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Ashley Marshall and Brett George of the Drug and Racketeering Enforcement Section.