SCRANTON, PA – Hector Alvarez, 37, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, will spend the next two decades of his life behind bars. Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion handed down a 20-year federal prison sentence to Alvarez today for his role in a significant drug trafficking operation. Alvarez was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine – a cocktail of misery he was peddling across the region.
The bust went down February 3, 2022, when law enforcement zeroed in on a Hazle Township residence. Officers witnessed Alvarez leaving the location with a grocery bag. It wasn’t groceries he was carrying. A quick surveillance follow revealed Alvarez ditching the bag into a public garbage can from his car window. A search of the discarded bag turned up vacuum-sealed bags, the kind used to package kilogram quantities of methamphetamine. This wasn’t a small-time operation.
When officers attempted a traffic stop, Alvarez didn’t comply. He blew through emergency alerts and bolted for his Hazleton residence on McKinley Street. But the chase didn’t end there. Alvarez abandoned his vehicle and took off running, initiating a foot pursuit. Cops caught up with him quickly, but not before he attempted to discard another crucial piece of evidence – a box containing 600 glassine packets of fentanyl. More fentanyl, stamped with identical markings, was found inside his vehicle.
A subsequent search of the Hazle Township residence was a drug trafficker’s nightmare. Authorities seized a staggering 26 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 90 grams of fentanyl, and 37 grams of cocaine base – or crack. This wasn’t just supplying a habit; this was fueling an epidemic. The sheer volume of drugs seized points to a well-established network, though authorities haven’t yet revealed the extent of Alvarez’s connections.
The investigation was a collaborative effort led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Hazleton City Police Department. Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus spearheaded the prosecution. This case isn’t an isolated incident, but part of the Department’s broader Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, aimed at reducing violent crime and making communities safer.
Furthermore, Alvarez’s sentencing comes as part of a district-wide “Heroin Initiative,” a focused effort to dismantle heroin trafficking operations throughout the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The initiative, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, brings together federal, state, and local agencies to target individuals profiting from the deadly heroin trade. Alvarez’s 20-year sentence sends a clear message: dealing death comes with a heavy price. # # #
Related Federal Cases
- Norristown Meth Kingpin Gets 19 Years · Pennsylvania
- Marquese Whitted Gets 8 Years for Heroin, Meth Conspiracy · Pennsylvania
- Chester Drug Kingpin Paris Church Gets 30 Years · Delaware
- Derek Mountz Gets 105 Months for Heroin-Meth Trafficking · Pennsylvania
- Norristown Man Gets 19 Years for Meth Trafficking · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug Trafficking