TUCSON — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Thursday that Baltazar Quintero-Bueno was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple felonies related to a major fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking operation in Pima County.
On June 10, 2025, Quintero-Bueno was sentenced in Pima County Superior Court for the following charges:
Conspiracy to Sell a Narcotic Drug (Class 2 felony)
Conspiracy to Possess a Narcotic Drug for Sale (Class 2 felony)
Misconduct Involving Weapons During a Drug Felony (Class 4 felony)
Illegally Conducting an Enterprise (Class 3 felony)
Operation and Arrest Details
Between May and December 2024, Quintero-Bueno played a role in a trafficking enterprise that distributed fentanyl pills, powder, and meth. On December 23, 2024, law enforcement seized 73.3 pounds of fentanyl pills and several firearms, including a Ruger 9mm handgun, during his arrest.
Financial Penalties and Forfeitures
In addition to his prison sentence, Quintero-Bueno was ordered to:
Pay $4,500 to the State Anti-Racketeering Revolving Fund
Reimburse $4,500 in investigative costs to the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Forfeit multiple firearms used during the crimes
AG Mayes: “We will bring traffickers to justice”
“This case is another reminder that fentanyl continues to endanger communities across Arizona,” said AG Mayes. “We will continue working with DPS and other law enforcement partners to stop the spread of these deadly drugs.”
The Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation, and Assistant Attorney General Sabrina Lochner prosecuted the case.
Booking photo and official court documents are available upon request.
