Slatington man given state prison term for theft, drugs

A Slatington man was sentenced on Thursday morning to a state prison term on charges of theft by receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance - contraband into a prison.

Judge Steven R. Serfass sentenced Nestor Ariel Alvarez, 25, to serve a total of 21 to 60 months on the two charges.

Alvarez was arrested following a vehicle stop on Sept. 28, 2018, along Mauch Chunk Street by Mahoning Township police.

An AR-15 rifle was found in the trunk during a search of the vehicle. Alvarez admitted stealing the gun from an Allentown residence.

While being processed into the county prison the next day, Alvarez was found to have suboxone on him. Nesquehoning police filed the drug charges.

Defense attorney Matthew J. Mottola, of the public defender’s office, told the court Alvarez has been dealing with a drug addiction problem for some time.

In addition to the prison term, Serfass ordered Alvarez to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and follow any recommendations for treatment, supply a DNA sample and pay court costs of about $1,000. He was also made eligible for the state’s Boot Camp program.

He was given credit for 181 days already spent in prison on the charges.