Salvadoran National and Convicted Child Molester Charged with Naturalization Fraud and Passport Fraud

RALEIGH, N.C. – Isidro Arcenio Alvarado, 57, a U.S. citizen born in El Salvador, appeared in federal court yesterday for his initial appearance. On August 20, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with naturalization fraud and passport fraud.  The indictment alleges that Alvarado lied about his criminal history on his application to obtain U.S. citizenship and used a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate to obtain a U.S. passport.

“We will not tolerate illegal aliens or lying immigrants who get status to stay in this wonderful country if they hurt children,” said United States Attorney Ellis Boyle.  “We do not tolerate any crimes against children.  If you do this, we will kick you right back out.”

According to the indictment, Alvarado allegedly knowingly made materially false statements under oath and penalty of perjury on his naturalization application and during a naturalization interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  In response to the questions “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…[f]orcing or trying to force someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?”; “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?”; “Have you EVER given any U.S. Government officials any information or documentation that was false, fraudulent, or misleading?”; and “Have you EVER lied to any U.S. government officials to gain entry or admission into the United States or to gain immigration benefits while in the United States?” Alvarado answered “No.”  Alvarado took the oath of citizenship and naturalized on October 12, 2022.  On March 7, 2023, Alvarado used his fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate to apply for a passport from the U.S. Department of State.

On April 25, 2023, police arrested Alvarado and charged him with committing multiple sex offenses against a child.  On July 8, 2025, in the Superior Court of North Carolina for Wake County, Alvarado pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent liberties with a child.  The state court judge sentenced him to a suspended term of imprisonment of between 32 and 58 months and ordered to register as a sex offender.  Alvarado confessed to committing these the crimes against a 10-year-old child from January 1, 2019, through April 10, 2021.  State law enforcement agents did not arrest him until after he naturalized, so immigration officials were unaware of his crimes prior to granting citizenship.

Alvarado is charged in a four-count indictment.  If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison as well as the automatic revocation of his U.S. citizenship.  

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. ICE ERO officers and HSI agents assigned to the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force are investigating the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship.  USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security Division is assisting with the initiative. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-208-D-BM.

An indictment is merely an accusation.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

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