Henry Alvarado Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking in San Francisco's Tenderloin

SAN FRANCISCO – Henry Alvarado, 34, has been sentenced to 60 months, or five years, in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. The sentencing, handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick, also included a concurrent 12-month and one-day sentence for violating the terms of his federal supervised release.

Alvarado, a Honduran national, pleaded guilty on March 10, 2025, to two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. According to court documents from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California (USAO-NDCA), Alvarado sold 173 grams of methamphetamine and 110 grams of fentanyl on multiple occasions in March 2023. He had been in federal custody since April 19, 2023, following his arrest.

The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal and local law enforcement to combat drug trafficking in the Tenderloin district, an area significantly impacted by the fentanyl crisis. The U.S. Attorney's Office, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) have been actively targeting dealers in the region. As reporter Henry K. Lee stated in a tweet, "Henry Alvarado, 34, gets 5 years in fed prison for selling fentanyl in SF's Tenderloin, per @USAO_NDCA @DEASANFRANCISCO @SFPD @SFPDTenderloin."

Alvarado was on federal supervised release from a previous drug trafficking conviction at the time of his latest offense, underscoring a pattern of re-offending. Following his prison term, he will serve an additional four-year period of supervised release. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily R. Dahlke and Michael G. Lagrama, with the investigation led by the DEA and SFPD.