Sinaloa‑linked meth ring leader convicted in Minnesota
Federal prosecutors say 47‑year‑old Eric Anthony Rodriguez has been convicted in U.S. District Court of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute for his role in the Diaz‑Aguilar Drug Trafficking Organization, a Sinaloa Cartel–linked ring that moved large quantities of meth, cocaine and fentanyl into the Twin Cities and across Minnesota from April 2024 to March 2025. A coordinated November 2025 traffic stop netted three pounds of meth from Rodriguez, and follow‑up search warrants in Columbia Heights, Hastings and Rochester helped agents seize about 60 pounds of meth, 1,500 fentanyl pills and more than $20,000 in cash in the wider case. Rodriguez is the fifth defendant convicted in the DTO led by Erick Emilio Diaz‑Aguilar, which authorities allege supplied major quantities of cartel product to local distributors. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled; given federal guidelines and the scale of the operation, Rodriguez is staring at a long prison term. For metro residents already seeing meth and fentanyl poisonings in every weekly blotter, this case underlines that some of that dope is still being fed by Mexican cartel pipelines, not just backyard cooks or street‑level hustlers.
📌 Key Facts
- Eric Anthony Rodriguez, 47, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute in federal court
- The Diaz‑Aguilar DTO, tied to the Sinaloa Cartel, operated across Minnesota from April 2024 to March 2025
- Investigators seized roughly 60 pounds of meth, 1,500 fentanyl pills and over $20,000 in cash, including three pounds of meth from Rodriguez in a November 2025 stop and searches in Columbia Heights, Hastings and Rochester
📊 Relevant Data
Minnesota's Hispanic or Latino population is about 7% of the total population as of 2024, with more than 370,000 residents.
Minnesota's Hispanic and Latino communities | MN Compass — MN Compass
Minnesota's Latino population has grown by 202,000 in the past 20 years, accounting for more than one quarter (26%) of Minnesota's overall population growth.
Latinos in Minnesota - Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio — Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio
In 2024, American Indians in Minnesota were seven times more likely to die from a drug overdose compared to whites.
Drug Overdose Dashboards - MN Dept. of Health — Minnesota Department of Health
In 2024, African Americans in Minnesota were three times more likely to die from a drug overdose compared to whites.
Drug Overdose Dashboards - MN Dept. of Health — Minnesota Department of Health
Despite drug use rates that are similar across races, Black and Native American individuals are overrepresented in Minnesota's prison population for drug offenses.
DRUG POLICY - MN.gov — Minnesota Management and Budget
90.3% of participants in a study on migration from Morelos, Mexico to Minnesota cited lack of employment as the reason for migration.
A Migration Educational Study of Mexicans in Minnesota — St. Cloud State University Repository
Minnesota has become a narcotics hub for Mexican cartels, with cartels starting to focus on the state about a decade ago.
Interim US Attorney for Minnesota: 'Minnesota is a narcotics hub for Mexican cartels' — KSTP
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time