On Thursday July 14, 2016, around 11:00 p.m., a Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped a black BMW 320I with Oklahoma plates for an equipment violation on east I40 in Ashfork, AZ. The vehicle contained 4 occupants including 26-year-old Alejandro Martinez (true name Christian Cardenas-Perez) and the driver, 22-year-old Saul Ochoa.
All occupants were from Oklahoma. While speaking with the driver, the deputy detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle interior. Ochoa admitted the deputy would find marijuana in the vehicle and that none of the occupants had been issued a medical marijuana card. During a search of the interior, the deputy located a baggie of marijuana in the glove box.
As the search continued around the truck area of the BMW, the deputy noticed tooling marks and a loosely placed spare tire in the trunk. While checking underneath the trunk to determine if there was a spare tire wheel well, the deputy saw an opening in the rear bumper with bungee cords attached. Checking further, the deputy found a bag of heroin wrapped in a cloth secured to the bumper. It was later determined the heroin weighed about 1 pound 6 ounces. Martinez admitted ownership of the heroin and acknowledged dealing drugs. Ochoa told the deputy the marijuana found in the glove box was his. The other 2 passengers were interviewed and eventually released.
Ochoa and Martinez were arrested and booked at the Camp Verde Detention Center. Ochoa was charged with Possession of Marijuana and he has since been released on $2000 bond. The charges on Martinez include Transportation for Sale of a Narcotic Drug and Possession of a Narcotic Drug. Martinez remains in-custody on a $750,000 bond.
On July 15, 2016, the arresting deputy was notified that Martinez provided a false name and birthday to the deputy. This was discovered during a routine records check by Immigrations and Custom Enforcement (ICE) personnel. His true name is Christian Cardenas-Perez, age 24, and he was classified as a previously deported felon. As a result, an immigration hold was also placed on the suspect.