Minnesota’s Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick announced that a federal grand jury has returned a multi-count indictment against five men. According to the U.S. attorney, the group is part of a drug trafficking organization affiliated with Sureños, a transnational gang.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has previously stated that “Sureños gang members are involved in a myriad of criminal activity, including murder, extortion, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution and other crimes with a nexus to the border.”
The group of five men facing federal charges are allegedly led by Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, a Mexican national residing in Minnesota. The U.S. attorney says the organization helmed by Diaz-Aguilar “has been operating and distributing controlled substances throughout Minnesota since at least 2024.”
Alpha News reached out to the attorney for Diaz-Aguilar but did not immediately receive a response.
Diaz-Aguilar has been charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine. He has entered a plea of not guilty.
Three of the other five men are also facing drug-related charges and have entered pleas of not guilty. The fifth man “remains at large and is pending arrest,” per a Tuesday press release from the U.S. Attorney.
“The Sureños and other drug cartels are dangerous criminal organizations that are fueling the drug crisis in America,” said Kirkpatrick. “Cartel-backed drug dealers are on notice. Do not bring your poison to Minnesota. If you do, you will see federal charges and federal prison time.”
According to the U.S. attorney, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the multi-month investigation that led to the charges.
In investigating the case, “law enforcement seized large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl from various individuals” and “determined that [the Diaz-Aguilar drug trafficking organization] is associated with and supplied by one or more transnational criminal organizations trafficking narcotics from Mexico.”
The Diaz-Aguilar case is a part of Operation Take Back America, a national effort to stop illegal immigration, trafficking, and drug cartels. Last month, President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice launched Operation Take Back America with a memo issued by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
