Gabriel Seth Rodgers, 26, who had been living in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced to 30 years in prison with an additional 10 years of supervised release for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson handed down the sentence on November 3 in Cheyenne. Rodgers was also ordered to pay $5,000 in community restitution.
According to court documents, Rodgers acted as a "load coordinator" for the Sinaloa Cartel and managed shipments of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to several regions across the United States, including Wyoming. He had previously been convicted of stealing firearms and began trafficking large quantities of drugs after his release from custody following a revocation of supervised release. In May 2023, Rodgers fled to Culiacan where he continued coordinating drug shipments until his arrest.
Investigators used undercover agents and confidential informants to establish that Rodgers coordinated the movement of about 200 pounds of methamphetamine, 40 pounds of fentanyl, and 11 pounds of cocaine into the United States. He regularly arranged shipments ranging from 20-50 pounds of methamphetamine and up to 10,000 fentanyl pills at a time. The investigation led to federal charges against five co-conspirators in Wyoming and others in Montana.
Rodgers was charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl as well as four counts of distributing fentanyl in Wyoming on May 20, 2024. In Montana on March 20, 2025, a grand jury indicted him for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. He was arrested in Mexico on March 27 through cooperation with Mexican authorities and deported back to the United States.
The Montana indictment was later transferred to Wyoming. On August 18, Rodgers waived indictment in Wyoming and pleaded guilty to all charges from both states. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation led the investigation; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Z. Seth Griswold and Cameron J. Cook from Wyoming along with Julie Patten and Bryan Dake from Montana prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Darin Smith stated: “The defendant brought large amounts of dangerous drugs into Montana and Wyoming—and then hid behind the cloak of the Sinaloa Cartel,” adding that stopping Mexican cartels from distributing narcotics is a top priority for his office.
Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme commented: “Montana is hundreds of miles from the southern border. When cartel members and other drug traffickers travel here to peddle their poison into our communities, they can expect to be caught and to go to prison for a long time. I want to thank the prosecutors and staff in our office, our strong partners at these investigative agencies, and our colleagues in the Wyoming U.S. Attorney’s Office for their good work investigating and prosecuting this case.”
DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge David Olesky said: “The sentencing properly reflects the significant role Rodgers had in trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl into Montana and Wyoming via his contacts with the Sinaloa Cartel. The combination of the great work and relentless efforts of investigators and prosecutors ensured that Rodgers was held accountable for his criminal conduct.”
Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge at the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service added: “Through our joint enforcement efforts, we’ve dismantled a criminal organization that posed a direct threat to the safety and stability of various communities,” noting that this sentencing resulted from coordinated local, state, and federal law enforcement efforts.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a national initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at eliminating cartels such as those responsible for drug trafficking activities.
