Five Individuals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Money Laundering in the Fox Valley
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 14, 2024, five individuals were sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge William C. Griesbach for their involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking organization that operated in the Fox Valley area and elsewhere. The five individuals were sentenced as follows:
| Defendant | Conviction(s) | Months of Prison |
| Mario Rodriguez Diaz (Age: 32), Moxee, Washington | Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine | 168 |
| Luis R. Leon (Age: 29), Appleton, Wisconsin | Money Laundering | 84 |
| Rodrigo Diaz (Age: 27), Moxee, Washington | Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine | 80 |
| Julio C. Vargas-Rodriguez (Age: 39), Appleton, Wisconsin | Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine | 72 |
| Darius Robinson (Age: 28), Tacoma, Washington | Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine | 72 |
According to court documents, Mario Rodriguez Diaz, a Washington resident, was the leader of the drug trafficking organization. He obtained large quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico and paid couriers, including Darius Robinson, to distribute the methamphetamine throughout the United States. Rodriguez Diaz obtained and distributed several hundred pounds of methamphetamine from 2021 through 2022.
Court documents established that Luis Leon and Julio Cesar Vargas Rodriguez, who lived and operated in the Fox Valley area, frequently received large quantities of methamphetamine from Mario Rodriguez Diaz. Specifically, they received methamphetamine from a courier approximately 1-2 times per month and distributed over 3 pounds of methamphetamine per week.
Finally, court documents demonstrated that Rodrigo Diaz oversaw the organization’s finances and frequently traveled to Appleton, Wisconsin, to pick up cash that Luis Leon and Julio Cesar Vargas Rodriguez earned from methamphetamine distribution. Drug proceeds were also concealed in bank accounts of a Limited Liability Company (LLC) registered to Luis Leon.
The investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately $300,000 in cash, 125 pounds of methamphetamine, several vehicles, and dozens of firearms.
The defendants were charged based on a multi-year investigation led by law enforcement agents and officers from the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group – Drug Unit (LWAM), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Green Bay Resident Office, the DEA – Madison Resident Office, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Division. Several other law enforcement agencies assisted with the investigation, including the DEA – Yakima Resident Office, the Appleton Police Department, the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
Assistant United States Attorney Alex Duros prosecuted the case.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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