A Glendale man has been indicted on sex-trafficking and prostitution-related charges after prosecutors say a woman called 911 from a motel near a notorious stretch of 27th Avenue that locals know as "the Blade." Dorion Nyguen Murray is facing counts that include transporting a person for the purpose of prostitution, aggravated assault and receiving the earnings of prostitution, according to officials.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced the indictment. Authorities say Murray was arrested in January after Glendale police responded to a 911 call from a victim who had locked herself in a bathroom because she feared for her life, according to 12News.
What prosecutors allege
Prosecutors say Murray transported a person for the purpose of prostitution and was indicted for sex trafficking, and that he allegedly received proceeds from the sex work, court documents reviewed by Arizona's Family show. Authorities allege Murray controlled the victim through violence, destroyed her identifying documents so she could not easily leave and even branded her. Reporting also states the victim was forced to earn between $1,000 and $1,500 per night.
The Blade and enforcement history
One of the areas where prosecutors say the victim was made to work is the corridor near 27th Avenue and Indian School Road, a stretch long known locally as "the Blade" for its concentration of street-level prostitution. That corridor has been the target of multi-agency sweeps and neighborhood complaints about drugs and violence, as documented by local news coverage and police briefings in prior reporting by Fox10 Phoenix.
Bond and court schedule
Murray is being held on a $250,000 cash-only bond, officials told 12News. Prosecutors say he is scheduled for a court appearance in June. Local court listings also show a pretrial conference for Dorion Nyguen Murray on March 4, 2026, in Glendale City Court, according to the city's Glendale City Court calendar.
The law and penalties
Under Arizona law, transporting a person for the purpose of prostitution is a class 5 felony (A.R.S. 13-3210), and receiving money from a person's prostitution earnings is a class 5 felony (A.R.S. 13-3204). Those statutes are part of a broader set of prostitution and trafficking offenses that can carry prison time and other penalties under state law.
Victim services and community response
Officials said the victim has been connected with support services while the investigation continues, and community groups and university partners have continued to press for both strong enforcement and robust survivor resources. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office and partner agencies maintain prevention information, hotlines and referrals for trafficking survivors and encourage community reporting and support through the Maricopa County Attorney's Office human-trafficking resources page.
Murray is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact local law enforcement or the human-trafficking tip line listed by county and state resources.
