GAYLORD — A 27-year-old Arlington man was sentenced this week after earlier pleading guilty to third-degree murder in a fentanyl overdose case.
Erick Alvarado pleaded guilty in the death of Jose Roberto Cardenas Jr., 26, in Winthrop in May 2023.
The court on Thursday sentenced Alvarado to 86 months, or about seven years, in prison, with the prison term stayed on condition he follow conditions of a five-year supervised probation.
A criminal complaint included details about Alvarado setting up a drug deal to provide Cardenas pills. Police responded to a report of an unresponsive man in Winthrop on May 21. Cardenas was later pronounced dead at a hospital, with an autopsy attributing the death to fentanyl.
Winthrop police examined phone and other electronic records of communications between Cardenas and others, including text message exchanges with Alvarado on May 19-20. The texts allegedly showed Cardenas asking Alvarado for “M30s,” which the complaint describes as percocet-type pills frequently laced with fentanyl.
Alvarado reportedly told Cardenas he could get him five pills for $3 each, according to the complaint. The investigation found Cardenas was at Alvarado’s residence at 6:08 p.m. May 20, about 12 hours before Cardenas was found dead, the complaint states. Cardenas reportedly was found with 4.5 pills on him.
As part of the sentencing, Alvarado will have to serve 364 days in the Sibley County Jail, complete a comprehensive assessment within 60 days and follow all recommendations, write a letter of apology and submit it to probation for approval. He can not use or possess alcohol or non-prescribed controlled substances and will be subject to random testing.