Jury Convicts California Man of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois announced today
that on February 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