KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) – A Kansas City, Kansas, man will spend the next 14 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine as part of a cartel-connected drug trafficking operation.
Joel Rodriguez, 30, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 167 months.
How the operation worked
Federal agents say Rodriguez was part of a larger drug ring led by Jose Antonio Heredia-Chang, 34, a Sinaloa cartel operative based in Phoenix. The organization distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and other drugs across multiple states using a delivery network. Drivers would drop off narcotics after customers placed orders.
Agents tracked drivers visiting Rodriguez’s home, intercepted calls about drug and gun trafficking and documented multiple deliveries to his address.
The investigation
ATF and DEA agents began investigating the ring in February 2023. After Heredia-Chang’s arrest in September 2023, the investigators recovered phone evidence, including firearms photos and messages about gun purchases. Court records show ties to distribution networks in Sinaloa, Seattle and Denver…