Drugs Mailed To Riverside County Jail Sent By Irvine Woman: Sheriff's Dept.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — An Irvine woman is expected to be formally charged this week with smuggling illicit drugs into a Riverside County jail using the U.S. mail.

Kimberlylynn Alvarez, 48, was arrested Jan. 16 as part of an investigation that began in July. According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, a jail inmate was coordinating with Alvarez to send narcotics. The inmate's identity was not made public.

"Multiple letters containing illicit drugs were intercepted by jail staff," according to the sheriff's department.

On Jan. 16, a search warrant was served in the 4000 block of Escudero Drive in Irvine, and Alvarez was taken into custody there without incident.

"During the service of the warrant, deputies located several items of evidence consistent with facilitating and smuggling narcotics into the jail," according to the sheriff's department. "Deputies also located methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and firearm ammunition."

Alvarez was booked into the Larry Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on suspicion of smuggling illicit narcotics into a jail, conspiracy, committing a felony while out on bail, and being a felon in possession of ammunition, according to the sheriff's department.

Alvarez's prior criminal history was unavailable.