Ep 6 - The Tailspin Down

Summary

Cocaine Air: Episode 6 - "The Tailspin Down"
Release Date: July 9, 2025
Host: Jonathan Walton

In Episode 6 of Cocaine Air, titled "The Tailspin Down," host Jonathan Walton delves deep into the dramatic downfall of TJ Dominguez, a man who rose to immense power within the cocaine smuggling world before his empire began to unravel. This comprehensive summary captures the pivotal moments, intense discussions, and profound realizations that mark TJ's journey from pinnacle to ruin.

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1. Rising Empire: Building a Criminal Empire

The episode opens with a flashback to 1986, highlighting TJ Dominguez's meteoric rise as a cocaine smuggler for the infamous Pablo Escobar. Adjusted for inflation, TJ was earning over $100 million monthly, making him a formidable kingpin in his own right.

Quote:

"I did what no other smuggler had ever done in the history of smuggling." — TJ Dominguez [02:27]

TJ's innovative approach included flying his own planes, driving his own boats, and establishing a multi-faceted corporate structure to legitimize his operations. His diversified investments spanned from the world's largest Lamborghini dealership to a cell phone company, housing developments, and a fleet of charter airplanes and boats.

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2. The 1987 Confrontation: A Sixth Sense Emerges

In late 1987, TJ's expansive mansion becomes the epicenter of a federal raid. As dozens of armed agents surround his 8,000-square-foot estate, TJ senses impending danger.

Quote:

"I sometimes get a feeling, Jonathan, that I know it's going to happen before it happens." — TJ Dominguez [07:23]

Displaying remarkable foresight, TJ disguises himself as a gardener to conduct a covert reconnaissance mission. His intuition proves correct when he learns that the agents are targeting a fugitive across the street, not him.

Quote:

"I have a little guardian angel, you know, that's always protected me and looked up over me." — TJ Dominguez [07:23]

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3. Jack's Descent: Betrayal from Within

Central to TJ's operation is Jack, his trusted pilot and confidant. Initially pivotal in scaling TJ's empire, Jack's success leads to excesses. His burgeoning lifestyle—uncontrolled partying, excessive cocaine use, and unprofessional behavior—becomes a liability.

Quote:

"He's gonna bring us all down. He's out of control. He knows too much." — TJ Dominguez [16:24]

Despite recognizing Jack's detrimental impact, TJ's moral compass prevents him from ordering Jack's elimination. This reluctance sets the stage for Jack's betrayal, ultimately leading to TJ's downfall.

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4. The Setup: Government Betrayal and Arrest

Jack's association with a government agent culminates in TJ's arrest. Despite having amassed vast fortunes and assets worldwide, TJ chooses loyalty and integrity over fleeing. His refusal to "flip" for the authorities strains his legal standing.

Quote:

"Because of the love that I have for my family and dedication and people depend on me. And I just didn't want to run and look coward, you know, it just wasn't a manly thing to do." — TJ Dominguez [24:16]

On the early morning of his arrest, TJ narrates the chaotic scene—helicopters, SWAT teams, and a fortified mansion. Demonstrating full cooperation, he attempts to de-escalate the situation even as agents surround him.

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5. Solitary Confinement: Reflections Behind Bars

After his arrest, TJ faces the harrowing experience of solitary confinement. Isolated in a 6x9 foot cell, he grapples with introspection and philosophical dialogues with prison guards.

Quote:

"Failing is when you quit, you know, falling down, pick yourself back up again and go forward." — TJ Dominguez [41:50]

A poignant interaction with a guard leads TJ to contemplate the true cost of his actions, both personally and within the prison system. This period of isolation becomes a catalyst for his eventual legal strategies.

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6. Legal Maneuvering: The Offer and Refusal

Determined to fight his charges, TJ hires a team of elite lawyers, including the renowned F. Lee Bailey. However, when faced with a plea deal requiring him to cooperate against other drug lords, TJ steadfastly refuses, especially unwilling to betray Pablo Escobar.

Quote:

"Everybody's flipped. You're the only one in prison. Everybody cut deals. They're gonna give you life." — TJ Dominguez [36:49]

Frustrated with his initial legal representation, TJ opts to switch lawyers, ultimately securing a deal that reduces his sentence in exchange for his cooperation, albeit reluctantly.

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7. Plea and Prison Sentence: Facing the Consequences

Rejecting an offer to work for the government, TJ chooses to plead guilty to multiple charges, including continuous criminal enterprise, importation, and distribution of cocaine and marijuana, as well as money laundering.

Quote:

"I pled guilty to distribution of marijuana cocaine. And then I pled guilty to money laundering." — TJ Dominguez [39:49]

This decision spares the prosecutors the burden of trial and results in a 13-year federal prison sentence, enabling TJ to serve his time while providing valuable insights into his smuggling operations.

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8. Redemption and New Beginnings

Upon his release, TJ emerges with introspection and a desire to rebuild. He embarks on new ventures, including launching a line of cosmetic-adjacent products. His philosophy centers on resilience and optimism, emphasizing that failure is merely a step towards growth.

Quote:

"Listen, there's no shame in failing. Failing is when you quit... You fall forward. That means you gained two steps already." — TJ Dominguez [41:50]

Embracing his second chance, TJ's story concludes with a message of enduring optimism and the unyielding human spirit.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "I did what no other smuggler had ever done in the history of smuggling." — TJ Dominguez [02:27]
• "I sometimes get a feeling, Jonathan, that I know it's going to happen before it happens." — TJ Dominguez [07:23]
• "He's gonna bring us all down. He's out of control. He knows too much." — TJ Dominguez [16:24]
• "Because of the love that I have for my family and dedication and people depend on me. And I just didn't want to run and look coward, you know, it just wasn't a manly thing to do." — TJ Dominguez [24:16]
• "Everybody's flipped. You're the only one in prison. Everybody cut deals. They're gonna give you life." — TJ Dominguez [36:49]
• "Listen, there's no shame in failing. Failing is when you quit... You fall forward. That means you gained two steps already." — TJ Dominguez [41:50]

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Conclusion

"The Tailspin Down" masterfully chronicles the rise and fall of TJ Dominguez, weaving a narrative of ambition, loyalty, betrayal, and redemption. Through TJ's personal anecdotes and reflections, listeners gain an unfiltered glimpse into the complexities of leading a double life as a legitimate businessman and a criminal kingpin. The episode serves as both a cautionary tale and an exploration of human resilience, encapsulated by TJ's unwavering optimism despite the enormity of his challenges.

For more insights and untold stories, visit cocainair.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review to help others discover Cocaine Air.

Transcript

[Sasha]

Sasha hated sand, the way it stuck to things for weeks. So when Maddie shared a surf trip on Expedia Trip planner, he hesitated. Then he added a hotel with a cliffside pool to the plan. And they both spent the week in the water. You were made to follow your whims. We were made to help find a place on the beach with a pool and a waterfall and a soaking tub and of course, a great shower. Expedia made to travel.

[Mr. Moore]

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[TJ Dominguez]

Let's go.

[Mr. Moore]

And young Mason Moore got more done quickly uploading HD product demos and video conferencing without freesync, the numbers look good.

[TJ Dominguez]

Brad, you're on mute.

[Mr. Moore]

Switch from cable Internet to Zibli fiber and get more of what you love for $65 less per cable@ziply fiverr.com this.

[TJ Dominguez]

Is one of the most spectacular venues with all kinds of character and hospitality scenery. These people in this Kitas Valley, they love when you come to see what they have to offer.

[Sasha]

I'm J.J. harris and Ellensburg Rodeo clown.

[TJ Dominguez]

And I want to invite you to the rodeo.

[Sasha]

Come hang out with us in Ellensburg. Great rodeo, great time. Two performances on Saturday. One is the extreme bulls of the year event. Do not miss the Ellensburg Rodeo August 29th through September 1st. We'll see you there.

[Jonathan Walton]

Previously on Cocaine Air.

[TJ Dominguez]

So we fly an airplane over there full of cheeks, and then we take a kilo of cocaine, open it up, put it on top of the table, cut a window, put it on a silver platter and have at it party for the weekend.

[Jonathan Walton]

In 1986, TJ Dominguez is making $20 million a month flying cocaine for Pablo Escob. But after Pablo refuses to pay TJ in cash and starts paying him with cocaine, TJ becomes a cocaine kingpin in his own right. Adjusted for inflation, he is now earning more than $100 million every single month.

[TJ Dominguez]

I did what no other smuggler had ever done in the history of smuggling. And that is fly my own plane, drive my own boat, bring it in, transport it on the land, sell it, collect the money, take the money, send it to Europe, bring it back, laundered and invested it.

[Jonathan Walton]

But when dozens of armed federal agents surround the 8,000 square foot mansion, TJ is storing his tons and tons and tons of cocaine. His underlings start to panic, especially Yayo, who picks up a loaded gun and is about to start shooting.

[TJ Dominguez]

He says, I'm not going back. They're not taking me alive. If they want me, they're gonna have to come shoot me. He's got the machine gun in his hand, right? This guy is, like, going bonkers.

[Jonathan Walton]

But tj, Sensing there's more to this story than meets the eye, disguises himself as a gardener and goes out on his own secret recon mission.

[TJ Dominguez]

I'm just gonna go out there and test the water. They say anything to me, I'll speak Spanish, and I'll say, I'm just the lawn guy. So I grab a broom, right? And I just open the garage door. I look over, and I see all the cars out there. And I'm not really looking over there, but I'm looking from the corner of my eye, and I'm push booming all the pavers.

[Jonathan Walton]

And when one of those armed federal agents notices TJ sweeping the driveway.

[TJ Dominguez]

He yells at me really loud, you over there with a broom.

[Jonathan Walton]

And what happens next, no one sees coming.

[TJ Dominguez]

I don't know what the hell's going on.

[Jonathan Walton]

I'm Jonathan Walton, and this is cocaine. Air the TJ Dominguez Story Episode 6 the Tailspin Town.

[TJ Dominguez]

I'm push brooming all the pavers.

[Jonathan Walton]

Hey, you.

[TJ Dominguez]

He yells at me, so I don't look up. He said, you over there with a broom. He yells at me really loud. So I look up, stop pushing the broom. And I said, what, me? He goes, yeah, you. Get back in the house. And I said, why? What's going on? He goes, we got a fugitive that's armed in the house across from El. Get back in the house. I said, yes, sir. Right away. I ran right in the house. I said, guys, break out the beer. They're not here for us.

[Jonathan Walton]

That's just such a. Like, how could they not be there for you, right?

[TJ Dominguez]

How could they not? There's an armed fugitive across from the house that was held up in the house. Somebody tipped them that there was a fugitive that the government had been after, and they were there for him, not us. And, you know, we got probably two or three thousand kilos inside the house. These guys are like, hey, get back in the house. Yes, sir. Right away.

[Jonathan Walton]

I mean, if federal agents with guns drawn were lined up and down my street, and I had tons of cocaine inside my house, there is nothing anyone could say or do to convince me that they're not there for me. But TJ just seems to have A sixth sense about this kind of thing. Has anyone accused you of being psychic?

[TJ Dominguez]

Psychic? Well, actually, I have been. Not that term, psychic. But I've had a lot of people tell me that I've got an incredible foresight to be able to see into things. I do feel like I have a little bit of a crystal ball, maybe. You know, people say that it's this my little guardian angel, you know, that's always protected me and looked up over me.

[Jonathan Walton]

TJ Is clutching a gold necklace with a medallion depicting an angel with wings and a halo, standing above a man crouched down on his knees. This medallion is smaller than a dime, much smaller. And yet it has huge meaning for.

[TJ Dominguez]

Tj it was given to me by my oldest sister when I was first born. She was 11 years my senior. That was a nice flip. I don't wear nothing around my neck except this little guardian angel. And I'm a strong believer that I should have been dead many, many, many times or have been arrested many, many, many times. I sometimes get a feeling, Jonathan, that I know it's going to happen before it happens. I really do.

[Jonathan Walton]

Because why on earth would you think it appropriate to grab a broom? You got federal agents surrounding your house full of kilos and kilos and kilos, thousands of kilos of cocaine. They're obviously there for you. It would appear.

[TJ Dominguez]

Well, it would appear that way.

[Jonathan Walton]

Why would you think, oh, let me just walk out here with a broom and see if I can find out what's up. And you did find out what's up.

[TJ Dominguez]

Yeah, I did. Here's something that I would attribute to not really a vision, but a feeling of, I can't take this tension anymore. This guy's yelling, he wants to shoot everybody. I got the other guy. We're pointing fingers at each other. This situation's not getting any better. I've always said something to all my guys. Don't tell me twice. We got a problem. We got a problem. I heard it the first time. I deal in solutions, not in problems. The only thing I could change is a solution. So I don't want to hear that we have a problem, that these guys are out there. I already know they're out there, so please, let's not dwell on that. How the hell are we going to get out of here?

[Jonathan Walton]

And at the time this is all happening, federal agents are lined up on your block. Is there anything. Do you say to yourself, do you have a hunch or an inkling? Wait a minute. I don't think they're here for us.

[TJ Dominguez]

No, no, No. I never thought. Come on. I would have never thought that. What are the odds that they're there for a fugitive across the street from a house that I'm sitting there full of cocaine? I mean what are the odds on that? You can't even script that thing for a movie.

[Jonathan Walton]

000 are.

[TJ Dominguez]

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No. I thought at that point I'm busted.

[Jonathan Walton]

But still you went out. I guess you figured I have nothing to lose. Let me go out there with my.

[TJ Dominguez]

The worst is going to happen. Let it happen. I don't want to sit here and torture myself. It's like when I got kidnapped and the guy's telling me he's going to kill me. He's going to kill me. He's going to kill me. You know? He told me 10 times he's going to kill me. So you know what man? Stop with the bullshit. Kill me or let me talk. Because I've got a solution for this. If you let me open up my mouth. I've got a solution for you and for me. You kill me. Your problems are still there. My problem just ended. I got nothing to worry about. I'm dead. So what? I'm. I'm not losing anything. It's over.

[Jonathan Walton]

For nearly 10 entire years TJ smuggles marijuana and then cocaine into South Florida and makes hundreds of millions of dollars doing it. But sadly, by the time he has enough money to get his dad's sugar mill in Haiti off the ground, it's no longer viable.

[TJ Dominguez]

When I went back to Haiti I had enough money to buy half of Haiti. And that's when I went to look at my dad's old sugar mill that was closed down. The government had acquired it. And you know, you want something to get screwed up, give it to the government to run. They will certainly put it in the gutter. And they did. The sugar mill was closed. Everything was just abandoned.

[Jonathan Walton]

And TJ comes to a profound realization. Standing in the rubble of where his father's sugar mill once was. And if you're at all familiar with that old Humpty Dumpty nursery school rhyme, then you know that all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again. TJ suddenly realizes for the first time since his father died that this sugar mill will never ever be.

[TJ Dominguez]

I jumped on my plane. I flew back down here and I didn't look back. I just. Now I'm a smuggler. And I stayed a smuggler. And then I started cleaning up a lot of the things That I was do any tightening of things, structuring my smuggling world as a corporation. I created divisions, you know, land division, security division, aircraft division. And I started putting buffers along the way, and I ran it like a business. I'm not in the drug business. I'm in the transportation business.

[Jonathan Walton]

At this point, TJ owns the world's largest Lamborghini dealership. He owns a cell phone company.

[TJ Dominguez]

A.

[Jonathan Walton]

Housing development, not to mention a fleet of charter airplanes and boats. He's got dozens and dozens of employees and hundreds of millions of dollars coming in.

[TJ Dominguez]

And when people tell me how lucky I am, you know, my answer is always the same. Yeah, I found out the harder I work, the luckier I get.

[Jonathan Walton]

But as is often the way in these tales, TJ's luck eventually runs out. And his ultimate downfall is almost Shakespearean. I mean, the guy responsible for TJ's demise is somebody he knows, somebody he loves, somebody he trusts with his life.

[TJ Dominguez]

Jack, who teaches me how to fly, who knows pretty much everything about me. He knows more about me than I know about me. We became almost like a family. We really were the group of ours. We were like the knights of the round table. That's why I called my aircraft company Excalibur after the sword of King Arthur. We sit around a table before the trips. We mapped them out. You're gonna do this, you're gonna do that. What happens is Jack's making a lot of money. Millions of dollars a month, okay? And with the money, he couldn't really handle it. And he started partying too much. He started going to strip clubs, bringing all the girls home, going through a kilo a week more day giving out coke like if it was just candy and going through money and so forth and so on, and filming about four cameras, filming himself laying in bed with a flock of women. And I told him, jack, man, you have to slow down. You're. You're getting out of control. You know, it's winter. I mean, winter in South Florida, right? So it's like maybe 60 degree weather early in the morning, 64. The guy's sweating and he's got blood coming out of his nose, just dripping. I said, jack, this is going to have to come to an end, man. I'm going to put you in a rehab. I said, we're going to clean you up. I'm not telling you to stop doing drugs. I'm just telling you you're out of control. And, well, who the hell are you to tell me what to do with my own personal private life? I said, I'm the guy that cares for you. He says, well, I effing made you. He said, you made me. I said, jack, when I first met you, you were eating a cheeseburger a day, a bite for breakfast, a bite for lunch, and the rest for dinner. You were living out of a shoebox. I said that I rescued you from. You made me. I said, that's it. And I really got upset with that statement. And I said, okay, you're out from underneath my umbrella, man. From now on, I don't want to see you. I want nothing to do with you turning all the keys to the airplanes. Don't go near anything that I control on or I'm with. And so he gets all pissed off at me, Fine, I go have a meeting with the rest of my guys. I said some things that, you know, that I'm not really proud of today. I said, something has to happen to Jack. He's. He's a liability. He's a bad liability right now. If something doesn't happen to Jack, he's gonna bring us all down. He's out of control. He knows too much.

[Jonathan Walton]

TJ's right. Jack is actually about to bring them all down. And any other drug lord would have had Jack murdered to eliminate the threat. But TJ could never do something like that, even though he knows Jack is going to cost him his freedom.

[TJ Dominguez]

I said, get a piece of paper, write down, put a date on it. Gonna bring us all down. I said, he's gonna bring us all down. I walked away.

[Jonathan Walton]

It's late 1987, and Jack is out of the picture and out of TJ's operation. No one knows where he is for months. And then one day, out of the blue.

[TJ Dominguez]

Jack comes to see me at my car dealership, and he's got a guy with him. So he said, hey, man. I said, yeah, what's up, Jack? I haven't seen you. How you doing, man? I see you're still partying, huh? So nothing's changed. So he goes, yeah, well, you know, I ran out of money, man. How do you run out of money? You know, I'm saying to myself, he made millions of dollars. I gave you airplanes, I gave you cars, gold, watches. How do you run out of money? Well, his lifestyle when he wasn't making any money, because that had dried up. I was the fountain, you know, for the cash flow. So he had assets still. He had no cash flow. So. Well, what do you want with me, man? You know? So he says, I need you to hook me up with A connection. I said, who's this? He says, that's my pilot.

[Sasha]

Hi.

[TJ Dominguez]

How are you? Jack's hiring a pilot. And I said, your pilot? What are you going to do? Start a small airline or something? What do you want me to do for you? You know, man, Colombia. I said, I have no idea what.

[Jonathan Walton]

The hell you're talking about at that point. There's something about Jack and this new stranger that seems fishy. So TJ Standing there in the middle of his Lamborghini dealership with customers and salespeople coming and going, puts an end to Jack's line of questioning.

[TJ Dominguez]

I said, jack, look, I have no idea what the hell you want from me, man. You know, if you want to do a charter business and this and that, you know, have at it. Good luck. I said, you want a car? Hook you up with a car. I said, don't talk to me about strange things, man. I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. I didn't know who that guy was, and I just didn't have a good feeling about it. Well, that guy was working for the government. Jack met him at a bar, and the guy was setting up Jack. Now, Jack brings me into the picture. Jack's nothing. I'm everything. So that's what started the tailspin down. Jack goes out and he buys. He had a boat, and then he buys 10 kilos in the Bahamas. They're going to bring in 10 kilos of cocaine. Well, what happens now is that the guy was working for bso, which was Broward Sheriff Department Department. And they said, jack up and he was bso. Brought in the feds because it was dea. It was a bust. So they bust Jack. Jack gets nailed for like 10 kilos, something stupid like that, you know? Next thing I know, I'm hearing from. From Jack calling one of my lawyers. He needs a lawyer. He's in trouble. Hello? So, of course I'm gonna go out there and look out for him, because for too many reasons, I want to hire the lawyer and I want to make sure that the lawyer represents him. But he represents me, too. And I don't want to say that all lawyers are crooked, but trust me, the loyalty's to Frankie. You know, if I'm the one putting the hundreds on the table, I don't know what the hell's going on here. It's a smart thing to do, to control the lawyers. You control the lawyers? You control them. So I hire the lawyer and tell him what's going on. He says, ah, you know, it's A, you know, they set him up. And your names come up though. But Jack is good, you know, so next thing I know, he's representing him. But they're putting more and more pressure on Jack.

[Jonathan Walton]

But federal prosecutors know Jack is just a small fry and they want to bust a big fry. They want TJ Dominguez. So they offer Jack a get out of jail free card if he agrees to turn on TJ and tell them everything he knows. And he knows everything. And then suddenly, just as TJ predicted.

[TJ Dominguez]

They came after me. They were surveillancing me. Helicopters on the roof of my house, cars in front of my. I'd go to dinner, they'd be there, dinner, the other table, two tables away from me.

[Jonathan Walton]

And as the months pass, the case the US government is building against TJ grows. They're picking off his low level employees and scaring them into cooperating. They're getting waiters and bartenders who interact with TJ to wear wires. Hi, would you like a sample and record his conversations? At this point, TJ knows his days walking around as a freeman are numbered. He's got literal fortunes stashed away in banks all over the world. And For a moment, TJ contemplates getting in the cockpit of one of his 30 airplanes. We've been cleared for takeoff and just flying out of the United States to safety, to one of the many countries without any extradition treaties with the us and live out the rest of his days as a very wealthy and very free man. So you could have left before they arrested you with gazillions of dollars in Switzerland?

[TJ Dominguez]

Absolutely. So why, why did I choose to stay? Yeah, because it was destiny, man. It wasn't known for me to leave.

[Jonathan Walton]

But was there an intellectual calculus that you thought it was emotional?

[TJ Dominguez]

Yes. Yes. Because intellectually I would have been gone. I would have definitely gone on the ground. And that's what my head would have said.

[Jonathan Walton]

But in his heart, there's just no way TJ can flee and leave everyone else holding the bag.

[TJ Dominguez]

Because of the love that I have for my family and dedication and people depend on me. And I just didn't want to run and look coward, you know, it just wasn't a manly thing to do.

[Jonathan Walton]

So TJ decides to stay and face the music. And then things get really crazy. It feels like the Universe hired Brian DePalma to direct this next scene in TJ's life.

[TJ Dominguez]

My arrest was amazing. My arrest was really, really amazing. At 4 or 5 in the morning, boom. It was like an explosion. I hear and I know the sound of helicopters. I'm here, ta ta ta ta, ta, ta, ta ta ta ta. And then all of a sudden, I wake up and it all happened just like a movie. The whole thing blew up on my face. The noise from the helicopter, the charging. The house covered wal wall with people. Just take five, six agents. Multiply that times four or five agents. See, there was over 100 people in my house. Helicopters on the roof. They roped off the whole neighborhood. They came in through the door, all running toward me, dressed in black SWAT outfits. I raised my hands up and I said, listen, guys, I know the routine. There's no need for all this violence. You know, I'm gonna kneel down. So I kneeled down. They put me on the floor. They had rifles all around me, like circling wagons like this on. I looked at a couple of them and I said, God darn, man, you guys are more nervous as you're gonna shoot me by accident. Get the goddarn gun off my head. You don't need all this. I'm already laying down.

[Jonathan Walton]

This is overkill. TJ fully cooperates with his arrest and federal agents put him in jail. Then federal prosecutors throw the book at him.

[TJ Dominguez]

Order in the court. I got indicted on an 848 back in the day. The 848, which is continuous criminal enterprise. It's the worst charge that United States has on their books. It was created for major organizations. Not everybody qualifies.

[Jonathan Walton]

But TJ qualifies because he is actually operating a continuous criminal enterprise. Smuggling and then selling tons and tons of cocaine all over the United States, using planes, boats, cars, houses, and an armada of business fronts and employees.

[TJ Dominguez]

My indictment came out of Washington D.C. by the Attorney General Attorney the time. Because now they're charging me in the Central District, they're charging me in Georgia, they're charging me in Detroit. One prosecutor told me, I said, what the hell am I doing in Detroit getting indicted up here for like 7 tons of cocaine? I've never been to Detroit. I don't even drive a Chevy. I swear to God. I said that to the guy, goes, he's. I'll indict you over every state. You flew over airspace. I'm a conspiracy. You entered through this airspace, it becomes part of the conspiracy. Because you could have gone around North Carolina, but no, you went right through it.

[Jonathan Walton]

TJ is behind bars at this point awaiting trial. But it's a trial he is not planning to attend.

[TJ Dominguez]

I had a completely different plane. I'm talking to Lori, but I'm. I'm planning my exit over the fence with a helicopter. It's really a great plan, actually.

[Jonathan Walton]

You heard that right. TJ actually starts laying the groundwork for a spectacular escape.

[TJ Dominguez]

I bought a chopper to just jump me over the fence of the prison. So what? I had a car waiting for me in a back canal, and I checked into how long it takes for the government to fire up the helicopter, because it's going to take them a good five minutes to put an airplane or a helicopter there in the air. So in that length of time jumping me over the fence, my plan was. And I had everything. The pilot came to see me. I told him, I said, listen, I want you to put the. The chopper down on the ground. This is not a James Bond movie. I'm not jumping off a roof. It's not Tom Cruise. I'm not jumping and grabbing the skits and pulling myself up. You land the chopper on the ground. I'm going to walk up to you. Then he was supposed to pick me up. We're flying over the fence, and then there was a canal not too far away. Gonna put the chopper in the water. We're gonna bury the chopper and put the chopper in the lake. The blades will stop spinning when it hits the water. Had a small air tank. And then I'm gonna come out of the water where there's a car waiting for me. I'm taking that car to an airport where I had an airplane waiting for me, and I'm gonna switch over to an airplane, and I'm going to Haiti. I can land there, and I have very strong Haitian friends that lined up refueling station. But I was gonna sit in Haiti for maybe a week or two, and then from there, I'd go straight to Colombia. And then I just live in the jungle and sort the things out as I go along. I was gonna make it up.

[Jonathan Walton]

But TJ makes the mistake of telling another inmate, a guy he used to work with, about his plan. And TJ actually invites this guy to escape in the helicopter with him. But this guy turns out to be a snitch and rats TJ out to the prison warden, who ends up putting the kibosh on TJ's escape.

[TJ Dominguez]

Next thing I know, I get thrown.

[Jonathan Walton]

In confinement, solitary confinement, as punishment for planning that audacious prison break.

[TJ Dominguez]

That's why he spent almost three years. And two years is something in solitary confinement.

[Jonathan Walton]

You were two years in solitary?

[TJ Dominguez]

Yeah.

[Jonathan Walton]

Like every day by yourself in a room?

[TJ Dominguez]

Yeah, yeah. In a cell by myself, yeah.

[Jonathan Walton]

And for that entire time, TJ is in a small 6 by 9 foot cell with a cot, a sink and a toilet that he has to ask a prison guard to press a button and flush from the outside every time TJ goes to the bathroom.

[TJ Dominguez]

And the one guard bangs on my door and he says, hey, you. And I said, who, me? He goes, yeah, you. You don't look so tough in there now. And I said, you talking to me? He goes, yeah, I'm talking to you. You don't look so tough. So I said, do I even know you? And he goes, no, but I know who you are. You know, you're that badass, blah, blah. You don't look so tough in there. I got something to ask you. You want to ask me something? I said, go ahead, what is it? He says, was it worth it? Was all of that things that you did worth it? Look at you now. You don't look so tough in there. I got up slowly, walked up to the door, steel door with a little 4 inch window in between our face. And I said, was it worth it? I said, okay, listen, before I answer you that question, I got something that I'm curious about. How is it that you get up every morning to come here to feed me three meals a day, to flush my toilet? You know how I got here? I got here by seven agencies that arrested me. I was handcuffed up to my neck. They kicked my butt all the way to this cell that you got me in. I didn't come voluntarily here. I came in here against my will. I said, so I go back to what intrigues me about you. How is it that again you come here to provide me with security, to feed me three meals a day, you can't call your wife because you're in prison, and to flush my toilet voluntarily? I'm going to be going home one day. But let's look at your situation. If you don't get fed, fired, you do what, 25, 30 years in God darn prison.

[Jonathan Walton]

How did he respond to that?

[TJ Dominguez]

Here's how he responded. Turned around, said nothing to me, walked away. Three days later he comes back. He says, you know, I haven't slept in three days. He said, what do you mean? He says, just thinking about what you told me. He says, you're right, you're right. If I don't get fired, I'm gonna do 30 years in jail, in prison. That's really got me messed up. So I said, well, I didn't mean to mess you up. I just, you know, I just wanted to share some thoughts that I had with you, when you're asking me was it worth it for me, I've been with the beautiful woman in the world, you know, I've had, you know, swung for the highest chandeliers, had a ball in my life. Not quantity, quality. I see. You, on the other hand, you don't have quality, and you're gonna have a lot of quantity spending 30 years in jail. That's what I meant. I'm sorry if he spent three days without sleeping. So he said, all right, man. All right. Just, you know, walks away. About two weeks later, he comes back, knocks on my door again. Dominguez. Now I get up. I say, now what? So I walk up to the window. He says, hey, listen, man, I. I applied at Miami Beach Police Department. Got accepted. You changed my life. When you get out of this place, you call me up and we'll have a beer together. Oh, my God. And I said, wow. He says, you changed my life. I owe you that.

[Jonathan Walton]

TJ Is still in solitary confinement at this point, and now he turns his attention to fighting the sprawling federal case against him. To mount his defense, TJ hires a team of super expensive and super talented lawyers, one of whom is the infamous F. Lee Bailey, who'd go on to become a member of O.J. simpson's Dream Team, responsible for getting O.J. off on murder charges. F. Lee Bailey convinces T.J. he can help him beat these charges, no problem. And then he makes a deal with prosecutors where TJ would only have to serve 18 months in prison if he flips and helps prosecutors bust other drug lords.

[TJ Dominguez]

I told F. Lee Bailey when he told me, I got you 18 months. This is what you're gonna do. You're gonna roll on everybody. I don't even know that term meant. I said, what do you mean, roll on everybody? He goes, you gotta cop a deal, man. He says, this is too much. You can't fight this. Too many. Too many co defendants. You can't beat a case like this. He says, everybody's flipped. You're the only one in prison. Everybody cut deals. They're gonna give you life. You're gonna get natural life. I say, natural life.

[Jonathan Walton]

And as scared as TJ Is at the prospect of life in, he adamantly refuses to flip on anyone, especially Pablo Escobar, who is still operating his cocaine empire in Colombia at this point. And TJ is now really pissed at F. Lee Bailey for charging him $200,000 for essentially nothing he says, can't go to trial.

[TJ Dominguez]

I said, why don't you tell me this before, when you were Car place. You said, you need F. Lee Bailey. And you patted your chest like some sort of like tar sand movie, you know? And I said, what happened to that at Fleet Bailey? Now you're telling me you can't defend me? He says, I could, I could defend you, but we're not gonna win. I said, okay, give me my money back. And then he gives me this long face like I'm not giving you your money back. So I leaned forward and I said, look, I got very little bit to lose now if you don't give me my effing money back. Buy a remote control to start your God darn car every morning. My Colombians, they're still all out there. He gave me my money back. I hired some other lawyers.

[Jonathan Walton]

And those other lawyers helped TJ cut a new deal with prosecutors whereby TJ agrees to plead guilty. And he agrees to teach government agents exactly how he smuggled all that cocaine into the country right under their noses.

[TJ Dominguez]

And then after, when I debriefed with them, how I did the smuggling, how I organized everything, the intelligence that I created, the surveillance on them, they wanted me to go to work for them. They actually wanted me to go to work for them as an agent, which I wouldn't do, and of course I would not do that. But then they wanted me to do seminars and teach them lecture on how I was thinking and the things that telltale signs. And they actually published so many books manual that were distributed in so many different countries based on how I smuggle and the things that I put together to create my cc, continuous criminal enterprise.

[Jonathan Walton]

But TJ turns down the government's job offer and just pleads guilty and throws himself at the mercy of the court.

[TJ Dominguez]

I pled guilty. They consolidated all my charges. Every agency that indicted me wanted a piece of me to justify my assets that they all divided amongst themselves. So I pled guilty to custom charges, importation of cocaine, importation of marijuana. I pled guilty to distribution of marijuana cocaine. And then I pled guilty to money laundering. I pled guilty to. Which is really crazy because, you know, like I said, can I just plead guilty to the cc, which encompasses everything. But no, they want it all broken down in fractions to make up the full yard.

[Jonathan Walton]

If TJ had gone to trial and been found guilty by a jury, he'd be looking at life in prison. But because he pled guilty, sparing prosecutors the expense and the arduousness of a trial, and because TJ helped educate government agents about his smuggling operation, by the time all is said and done. TJ ends up serving 13 years in federal prison. He pays his debt to society for all that drug smuggling, and he's a free man today with big plans. And you're out of prison, what, two days now?

[TJ Dominguez]

Yeah, three days.

[Jonathan Walton]

And here we are talking. TJ is actually starting an entirely new business, a line of cosmetic adjacent products, believe it or not. And even though he's more than 70 years old, he's got the spark and the energy of a man half his age. And he severely lacks the one thing that I think holds most people back in life. You see, TJ Dominguez is simply not afraid to fail.

[TJ Dominguez]

Listen, there's no shame in failing. Failing is when you quit, you know, falling down, pick yourself back up again and go forward. My God, you know you're gonna fall. You fall forward. That means you gained two steps already.

[Jonathan Walton]

You're an optimist.

[TJ Dominguez]

Oh, yeah, Glasses always have. Full for me. Yeah. Never empty. I even told one of my wives, I don't know which one. The day I died.

[Jonathan Walton]

That is the takeaway quote from today, Dude, I even. You told. Told one of my wives, I don't know which one.

[TJ Dominguez]

My headstone. I tell you what, you're going to put on there for me. He said, yeah, what do you want to. What do you want me to put on there? He just might come back.

[Jonathan Walton]

Next time on Cocaine Air. What kind of guy was Pablo Escobar really?

[TJ Dominguez]

A family guy. If you could say that.

[Jonathan Walton]

That's such a fun answer to that question.

[TJ Dominguez]

I know, it's crazy, huh? Really? Really was. He really was. He really was. He was a very simple guy. Didn't wear no gold chains, didn't wear Rolex. If you ever met him, you would not believe that that's Pablo Escobar.

[Jonathan Walton]

To see some incredible photographs documenting TJ's life, go to cocainair.com and if you're enjoying Cocaine Air, please hit that share button and text it to your friends and family right now. And if you feel comfortable, leave us. A five star review. Reviews really help other listeners find us. Cocaine Air was created, written and executive produced by me, Jonathan Walton for Jonathan Walton Media executive producers, Evan Goldstein and the inimitable TJ Dominguez. Audio engineering by me, Jonathan Walton. All sound design and editing was done by the super talented Puneeth Chinoy from Podcast Pundits. And the Cocaine Air cover art is by Bobby Animation. We've got a lot of fascinating, fascinating untold stories like Cocaine Air coming down the pike at Jonathan Walton Media. So subscribe and keep an ear out.