Hector Alvarez, a 37-year-old resident of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. The sentence was handed down by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance on February 3, 2022, at a residence in Hazle Township. Officers observed Alvarez leaving the location with a grocery bag and later saw him discard the bag into a garbage can from his car window. The bag contained empty vacuum-sealed bags typically used for packaging large quantities of methamphetamine.
When officers attempted to stop Alvarez, he ignored emergency signals and drove to his home on McKinley Street in Hazleton. After fleeing from his vehicle, Alvarez was apprehended following a brief foot chase. During his attempt to escape, he discarded a box containing 600 glassine packets of fentanyl.
Further investigation led officers to seize additional glassine packets of fentanyl from Alvarez’s vehicle that matched those found earlier. A search of the Hazle Township residence resulted in the seizure of 26 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 90 grams of fentanyl, and 37 grams of crack cocaine.
The investigation involved the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and Hazleton City Police Department. Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus prosecuted the case.
“This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone,” said officials in the release. “On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.”
Officials also noted that “this case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.” The Heroin Initiative is led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania as part of coordinated efforts among federal, state and local agencies targeting heroin traffickers operating within the region.
