SAN FRANCISCO – Another dealer pushing poison onto the streets of San Francisco’s Tenderloin is headed to federal prison. Henry Alvarado, 34, a national of Honduras, received a 60-month sentence today for trafficking fentanyl, a sentence handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick. Alvarado also faces an additional 12 months and one day for violating the terms of his prior supervised release – a violation that will run concurrently with his primary sentence.
The case against Alvarado unfolded rapidly. He was initially charged by criminal complaint on April 17, 2023, and formally indicted by a federal grand jury just weeks later, on May 2, 2023. Alvarado ultimately pleaded guilty on March 10, 2025, to two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl, admitting to peddling deadly amounts of the drug and methamphetamine in the notoriously blighted Tenderloin district.
According to the plea agreement, Alvarado wasn’t dealing in small amounts. Between multiple transactions in March 2023, he moved a staggering 173 grams of methamphetamine and 110 grams of fentanyl onto the streets. This wasn’t a first offense either; Alvarado was already on federal supervised release stemming from a previous federal drug trafficking conviction when he resumed his criminal activity. A clear disregard for the law and the safety of San Franciscans.
U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian and DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris announced the sentencing, highlighting the ongoing federal efforts to dismantle drug trafficking operations in the city. Judge Orrick didn’t stop at the prison sentence, adding a four-year period of supervised release and a $200 fine to Alvarado’s punishment. Alvarado has been held in federal custody since his arrest on April 19, 2023.
The prosecution team, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily R. Dahlke and Michael G. Lagrama, with support from Marina Ponomarchuk and Helen Yee, built a solid case based on an investigation conducted jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the San Francisco Police Department. The collaborative effort underscores the commitment of both agencies to combating the fentanyl crisis.
This sentencing serves as a stark reminder that those who profit from the misery of others, particularly by dealing in deadly drugs like fentanyl, will face significant consequences. While five years is a start, it remains to be seen if it’s enough to deter others from following in Alvarado’s footsteps and continuing to flood the Tenderloin with poison. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing battle against drug trafficking in San Francisco.
RELATED: San Francisco Dealer Henry Alvarado Sentenced For Fentanyl Traffic
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- Tenderloin Heroin Dealer Villatoro Gets 2+ Years · California
- WI Woman Gets 18 Months for Role in Fentanyl Pipeline · Wisconsin
- Vegas Dealer Gets 11 Years for Meth & Ghost Gun Empire · Nevada
- WI Woman Gets 18 Months in Fentanyl Ring · Wisconsin
- Graciela Poteciano Gets 10 Years for Fentanyl Smuggle · California
Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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