DOJ announces conviction in Minnesota meth ring linked to Sinaloa cartel

A 5th suspect has been convicted successful a sweeping Minnesota meth trafficking conspiracy tied to Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa Cartel, national prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Eric Anthony Rodriguez, 47, was recovered blameworthy successful U.S. District Court of conspiracy to administer methamphetamine and possession with intent to administer methamphetamine aft a six-day proceedings earlier Judge Susan R. Nelson.

Prosecutors said Rodriguez was portion of the "Diaz-Aguilar Drug Trafficking Organization," which operated crossed Minnesota from April 2024 to March 2025.

The enactment moved monolithic shipments of meth, sometimes hundreds of pounds astatine a time, into the state, according to prosecutors. The enactment was led by Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, 33, who antecedently pleaded guilty, on with co-defendants Juan Martin Elvira Jr., 36, Edward Gonzalez, 30, and Bruce Michael Orton, 44.

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Eric Anthony Rodriguez, 47, was recovered blameworthy successful U.S. District Court of conspiracy to administer methamphetamine and possession with intent to administer methamphetamine. (iStock)

During a astir yearlong investigation, instrumentality enforcement seized astir 60 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,500 fentanyl pills and much than $20,000 successful cash. Authorities besides raided stash houses successful Columbia Heights, Hastings and Rochester.

The exterior of the U.S. District Court successful St. Paul, Minnesota. (Kerem Yucel / AFP via Getty Images, File)

In November 2025, officers stopped Rodriguez successful a coordinated postulation cognition and recovered 3 pounds of methamphetamine from his vehicle. Trial grounds showed helium had received dozens much pounds for distribution, prosecutors said.

Federal prosecutors secured a blameworthy verdict for Rodriguez aft a six-day trial. (iStock)

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Federal authorities said the trafficking web was affiliated with the Sinaloa cartel, a Mexican transnational transgression enactment agelong tied to large cause operations successful the United States.

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Rodriguez volition beryllium sentenced astatine a aboriginal date.