United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PORTLAND, Ore.—Rodrigo Caro-Gonzalez, 35, a noted drug trafficker residing in Eagle Point, Oregon, was sentenced on Aug.1, 2019, to 120 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm.

According to court documents, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Caro-Gonzalez in May 2016. A few months later, based on a tip, the Oregon State Police stopped a car driven by one of Caro-Gonzalez’s associates carrying more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine. The investigation of Caro-Gonzalez continued when, in March 2017, a person believed to have obtained methamphetamine from Caro-Gonzalez was stopped with approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine.

Later in March 2017, a confidential source met with Caro-Gonzalez and a third associate. The group arranged a drug deal. The deal never occurred, but the associate was arrested a few days later with more than five pounds of methamphetamine. The DEA then executed a search warrant at Caro-Gonzalez’s Eagle Point residence and seized $9,585, an AK-style firearm, a thirty-round magazine, a pistol and ammunition. Caro-Gonzalez admitted to being in the U.S. illegally, making his possession of the weapons unlawful.

On April 2, 2019, Caro-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as an illegal alien.

This case was investigated by DEA, the Springfield Police Department, INET and OSP and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Jeffrey Sweet.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.