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The U.S. District Attorney’s Office recently announced a significant development in a methamphetamine trafficking case linked to the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, marking the fifth conviction in this far-reaching investigation in Minnesota.
In a statement released on Tuesday, federal prosecutors revealed that Eric Anthony Rodriguez has been convicted in a U.S. district court on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute the drug. Authorities intercepted Rodriguez with three pounds of methamphetamine during a strategic traffic stop in November 2025.
This conviction is part of a broader case involving four other individuals who have also admitted guilt. The co-conspirators include Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, Juan Martin Elvira, Jr., age 36, Edward Gonzalez, age 30, and Bruce Michael Orton. According to court records, Rodriguez and these men worked together to distribute significant quantities of meth throughout Minnesota.
The operation, dubbed the “Diaz-Aguilar Drug Trafficking Organization” by the attorney’s office, was active from April 2024 until March 2025. Over the course of a year-long investigation, law enforcement officials seized approximately 60 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,500 fentanyl pills, and over $20,000 in cash, highlighting the extensive reach and impact of this drug trafficking network.
According to court documents, the 47-year-old conspired with four other men who have previously pleaded guilty. Those men are Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar; Juan Martin Elvira, Jr., 36; Edward Gonzalez, 30; and Bruce Michael Orton.
The attorney’s office said “Diaz-Aguilar Drug Trafficking Organization” distributed methamphetamine throughout Minnesota from April 2024 to March 2025. In total, law enforcement seized about 60 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,500 fentanyl pills and more than $20,000 during a yearlong investigation into the group.