Former Salinas Valley State Prison Officer Pleads No Contest to Workers’ Comp Fraud

SOLEDAD — A former correctional officer at Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud after prosecutors determined she fabricated workplace injuries and received more than $100,000 in workers’ compensation benefits.

Lorena Hernandez Alvarado, 43, of King City, also pleaded guilty in two separate drunken driving cases, according to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office on Sept. 22.

The criminal case stems from a workplace injury claim Alvarado filed in April 2021. She reported injuring her shoulder, neck, back and knees while using a heavy shield to protect herself from liquid thrown by an inmate at the prison.

Read the entire news article. Salinas Valley Tribune, September 24, 2026