Cylus Miller Alvarado, a 25-year-old resident of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for abusive sexual contact of a child. The sentencing took place on January 15, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Sharad H. Desai. Following his release from prison, Alvarado will be subject to lifetime supervised release.
Alvarado had previously pleaded guilty to the charge. According to court documents, between April 1, 2022, and June 12, 2023, he engaged in multiple instances of abusive sexual contact with a minor under the age of 12 at his residence in Parker, Arizona. Both Alvarado and the victim are enrolled members of the Colorado River Indian Tribes and the incidents occurred on the Colorado River Indian Tribes Indian Reservation.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine commented on the case: "When children are targeted by sexual predators, it causes long-lasting harm to survivors, their families and often their communities. Our justice system must protect children, decisively and without compromise. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal and tribal law enforcement partners continue to use every available tool to identify and bring to account individuals, like Alvarado, who perpetrate crimes against the most innocent among us."
FBI Phoenix Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Hooper also addressed the outcome: "One of the most important things FBI Phoenix does is protecting children around the world from predators seeking to harm them. We thank the brave victim and witness who came forward in this case to help us put Cylus Alvarado behind bars for more than a decade. The FBI hopes this sentence shows our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice for all victims of similar abuse and sends the message to all offenders—you will be pursued, prosecuted, and punished."
The investigation was conducted by FBI Phoenix (Lake Havasu office) along with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore prosecuted the case.
Further details about the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
