The Arizona Department of Corrections says it’s put one of its officers on leave after her arrest in Mexico, where she’s accused of trafficking weapons.
Yanet Dowden was arrested by Mexican authorities in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, just south of the Arizona border.
Authorities say they seized more than 5,400 rounds of ammunition and accuse Dowden of working for a faction of the Sinaloa cartel.
En Sonora, como resultado de trabajos de inteligencia y coordinación interinstitucional, elementos de @SEMAR_mx, @Defensamx1, @FGRMexico, @GN_MEXICO_ y @SSPCMexico detuvieron a Yanet “N”, de nacionalidad estadounidense, identificada como operadora logística para el trasiego de… pic.twitter.com/UFYpVTElgt
— Gabinete de Seguridad de México (@GabSeguridadMX) September 11, 2026
The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry confirms that Dowden worked as an Arizona state correctional officer. She has since been put on leave as the state begins the process to fire her.
Mexico says more than 70% of the guns found at crime scenes in the country are smuggled from the United States and for years has asked its northern neighbor to do more to crack down on weapons trafficking.
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Dr. Jesús Maximiano Verduzco Soto turned himself in to authorities in Hermosillo after evading arrest for months. -
Nearly 30 people have died from heat stroke in the Mexican state south of Arizona this year. -
In Sonora, mothers comb through the desert to try to find the remains of their missing children, even as Mexican officials say the number of homicides across the country is in decline. -
Some communities remained difficult to access after flooding from Tropical Storm Polo. -
The Arizona Game and Fish Department warns that Arizona is at risk of the flesh-eating parasite after recent cases in New Mexico and northern Mexico.
