Robert Anderson, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Minnesota 2026

In a significant blow to the methamphetamine trade in Minnesota, Robert Joseph Anderson, 40, of Wadena, Minnesota, was sentenced to 132 months in prison for his role in a large-scale distribution network.

According to court documents, Anderson, along with four other defendants, conspired to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in Minnesota from December 2023 to February 2024.

The case began in earnest on November 10, 2023, when law enforcement responded to a death at a residence in Wadena County caused by a methamphetamine and fentanyl overdose. Investigators identified Bill J. Rude, one of the decedent’s methamphetamine suppliers, and through further investigation, uncovered the broader distribution network.

Anderson, a prominent regional distributor in the Wadena area, procured bulk quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Carlos Deyvi Valdovinos-Trejo and Jesus Alarcon Valdovinos, which he sold to downstream distributors, including Aaron Thomas Heifort and Bill J. Rude.

Between December 2023 and January 2024, law enforcement seized over 2.6 kilograms of methamphetamine and 29 grams of cocaine from the Wadena-based members of the conspiracy, including Rude, Heifort, and Anderson. In January 2024, law enforcement conducted two separate controlled buys from Valdovinos-Trejo, resulting in the seizure of an additional 1.35 kilograms of methamphetamine.

“Methamphetamine and fentanyl continue to destroy countless lives and communities throughout Greater Minnesota,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “The sentencing of these five individuals demonstrates the strong partnership across federal and local law enforcement to hold accountable those who distribute dangerous drugs into our communities.”

Aaron Heifort, the final defendant, was sentenced on July 9, 2026, by U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim in Minneapolis to 122 months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Carlos Deyvi Valdovinos-Trejo was sentenced to 84 months, Jesus Alarcon Valdovinos to 60 months, and Bill J. Rude to 120 months.

The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, worked together to bring down the distribution network and hold those responsible accountable.

Robert Anderson, 40, of Wadena, Minnesota

Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine

City and State: Wadena, Minnesota

Exact Date: July 9, 2026

Sentence: 132 months in prison

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/five-men-sentenced-total-518-months-imprisonment-role-large-scale-drug-trafficking