Man who trafficked almost 140 pounds of methamphetamine on I-10 sentenced to prison

PHOENIX — A man who trafficked almost 140 pounds of methamphetamine in Arizona last year has been sentenced to seven years in prison, authorities announced Thursday.

Anthony Perez was sentenced last week and ordered to pay more than $5,000 in fines and surcharges, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

On December 8, 2025, a trooper with the Arizona Department of Public Safety pulled him over after seeing him break multiple traffic laws on westbound Interstate 10.

One of those violations was driving without a license. In fact, prosecutors said he never was issued a driver’s license. As a result, the vehicle was subject to towing and an inventory search.

During the search, officers found 138.8 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in duffel bags in the back seat.

Methamphetamine is a leading factor in Arizona overdose deaths

In June 2025, the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Opioid Monitoring Initiative released a report identifying opioids and stimulants — including methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine — as the state’s top drug threats.

In 2024, there were 2,735 drug overdose deaths in Arizona, according to preliminary data from Arizona county medical examiner offices.

Methamphetamine was involved in 1,655 of those deaths — 60.5% of the state’s total. In cases where a single substance caused death, methamphetamine accounted for 645.

Methamphetamine-Related Overdose Deaths by sosullivan

Methamphetamine-related overdose deaths increased 14% between 2021 and 2024, with a slight increase between 2023 and 2024.

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