Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois announced today
that on Feb. 20, 2020, a federal jury in East Saint Louis returned a guilty verdict against
Fernando Alvarez-Carvajal, age 49 of Los Angeles, California. Alvarez-Carvajal was convicted of
conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine after a three-day trial.
Evidence presented during the trial established that from October 2016 through December 2018,
Alvarez-Carvajal, along with five co-conspirators, was involved in an operation that distributed
pound quantities of methamphetamine in the Southern District of Illinois, Philadelphia, and
elsewhere. Specifically, Alvarez-Carvajal used his bank account to funnel drug proceeds and served
as a courier of drugs and money for the organization.
Alvarez-Carvajal remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending his sentencing
on May 20, 2020 in United States District Court. At sentencing, the defendant will face a term of
imprisonment of from ten years to life in prison. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau
of Investigation and the Alton, Illinois Police Department under the auspices of the Organized
Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States
Attorney Karelia S. Rajagopal and Special Assistant United States Attorney, Donald S. Boyce
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
