Eagan Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison in Violent 2023 Sexual Assault Case
Provided by Dakota County Jail.
EAGAN, MINNESOTA - An Eagan man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison following a violent 2023 sexual assault, with a judge approving an upward departure from Minnesota sentencing guidelines due to the severity of the crime and where it occurred.
According to court records filed in Dakota County, Ricardo Roberto Mahkwah Diaz, 28, was sentenced on May 5, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving the use of a dangerous weapon.
Sentence Reflects Upward Departure
The court sentenced Diaz to 300 months (25 years) in prison, a significant increase above the standard guideline range of 144 to 201 months. Court documents show the sentence was an upward durational departure, meaning the judge determined the case involved substantial and compelling circumstances justifying a longer sentence than typically recommended.
Diaz has been committed to the custody of the Minnesota Department of Corrections and is currently serving his sentence at the Minnesota Correctional Facility – St. Cloud.
He was given credit for 956 days already served and will be subject to 10 years of conditional release upon his release from prison.
Additional conditions include:
Required predatory offender registration
Submission of a DNA sample
Restitution to be determined at a later date
Other Charges Dismissed as Part of Case Resolution
As part of the case resolution, three additional charges—including other counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and a first-degree burglary charge—were dismissed.
Prosecutors Sought Maximum Sentence
Prior to sentencing, the Dakota County Attorney's Office filed a memorandum requesting the statutory maximum sentence of 360 months (30 years).
Prosecutors argued the case warranted a significant upward departure due to aggravating factors, particularly that the crime occurred within the victim’s “zone of privacy,” meaning inside her home and specifically in a private area of the residence. Courts have recognized such circumstances as especially serious due to the violation of a person’s sense of safety and security.
A sentencing guidelines departure report filed May 5, 2026, also cited this factor, stating the offense occurred within the victim’s home as the primary basis for recommending an aggravated sentence.
Case Background
The charges stem from an incident reported on September 23, 2023, in Eagan.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim reported that a man entered her residence during the early morning hours and assaulted her. Investigators alleged the suspect used force and a weapon during the attack, resulting in multiple injuries that required medical treatment.
Officers later located Diaz inside the residence and took him into custody. Investigators reported evidence of a violent struggle at the scene, and a firearm recovered was determined to have been previously reported stolen.
As part of his guilty plea, Diaz admitted to key elements of the offense, including that the assault occurred while he was armed.
Legal Context
Under Minnesota law, judges may depart from standard sentencing guidelines when there are “substantial and compelling” reasons to do so. In this case, both prosecutors and the court pointed to the location of the offense, inside the victim’s home, as a critical aggravating factor.
While the prosecution sought a 30-year sentence, the court ultimately imposed a 25-year term, still well above the presumptive guideline range.
What Comes Next
Diaz will continue serving his sentence under the custody of the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
He is presumed innocent of any dismissed charges, and the conviction reflects only the count to which he pleaded guilty.
Written by: Will Wight
