Isaiahs Jimenez's mugshot appears over a photo of the seized meth. (Maricopa County, Phoenix Police Department)
Phoenix police have arrested a 22-year-old man they say is responsible for flooding the Valley with roughly 100 pounds of methamphetamine a month, catching him just as he was boarding a shuttle to Mexico.
What we know:
Isaiahs Alejandro Jimenez was taken into custody on Wednesday near 27th Avenue and McDowell Road. His arrest caps a three-month investigation that unraveled on July 7 when investigators raided his Glendale storage unit, uncovering 42 pounds of meth.
Court documents reveal that when officers arrived to serve a search warrant at the storage facility on 59th Avenue, Jimenez spotted law enforcement and took off. The suspect reportedly crashed his vehicle into a wall and managed to escape on foot. Inside the storage locker, police reportedly found the massive stash of drugs, which later tested positive for methamphetamine.
The fugitive run was short-lived, as authorities tracked Jimenez the next day to a Phoenix shuttle service where they say he was actively attempting to flee across the southern border.
Dig deeper:
During police interviews, Jimenez reportedly confessed to possessing the narcotics. He told investigators he picked up the drugs in early July and rented the storage unit at the direction of contacts in Mexico, claiming he complied out of fear they would hurt him. Authorities noted he is also suspected of distributing unknown quantities of fentanyl.
Jimenez, who was already wanted on an outstanding felony probation violation warrant, is now facing a charge for possession of dangerous drugs for sale. A Maricopa County judge set a $300,000 cash-only bond, citing him as a severe flight risk and a danger to the community.
What's next:
Jimenez is due back in court on July 14.
Map of the area where the drugs were stashed:
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Phoenix Police Department and West McDowell Justice Court.