Man arrested nine times for San Francisco drug dealing pleads guilty to more drug dealing while on probation and bail

March 10, 2025

A man arrested for drug sales in San Francisco in 2009, 2014, twice in 2015, twice in 2018, 2020 and twice in 2022 pleaded guilty in federal court today to selling fentanyl in 2023 while he was on probation and on bail for two open cases in superior court.

Henry Alvarado sold fentanyl and methamphetamine on an industrial scale, commuting each day from Oakland to the city’s Tenderloin neighborhood.

Over a three week period in March 2023 he sold 110g of fentanyl and 173g of methamphetamine to a buyer who, it transpired, was an SFPD undercover officer.

At the time of his arrest the 34-year-old Honduran national was on federal probation and was dealing drugs in an area where he was forbidden to be.

He was also on bail from two state cases.

“He flagrantly ignored court orders to stay away from the Tenderloin,” wrote assistant U.S. attorney Emily Dahlke in a successful bid earlier in the case to keep Alvarado in custody.

Dahlke observed that Alvarado is “not a U.S. citizen” and was subject to deportation.

This afternoon, before U.S. District Judge William Orrick at San Francisco federal courthouse, Alvarado pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

He also admitted to violating the terms of his probation.

The defendant was able to continue dealing in 2023 because of the unwillingness of judges in San Francisco to keep him in custody in 2022.

On August 9 2022 Alvarado was arrested for selling methamphetamine to an undercover officer on Eddy Street.

Two days later he was ordered released on his own recognizance by Superior Court Judge Brian Ferrall and told to stay away from the location where he was detained.

He was arrested again the next month, on September 20 2022, having again sold cocaine to an undercover officer in the same spot, and found with fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine.

Superior Court Judge Curtis Karnow ordered his release later that day, with the condition that he check in four times each week.