KING CITY — 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.
The State Compensation Insurance Fund accepted the claim, and Alvarado received more than $100,000 in benefits, including wage replacement and medical treatment. She did not return to work, prosecutors said.
An investigation by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Internal Affairs determined that Alvarado had not used a shield during the April 2021 incident, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Investigators also determined that Alvarado had fabricated a separate workplace injury in 2019 that she claimed occurred during a struggle with an inmate. That claim was denied.
The District Attorney’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit subsequently charged Alvarado with two felony counts of insurance fraud. She admitted the fraud resulted in more than $100,000 in losses when she entered her plea.
Alvarado is scheduled to return to court Oct. 22 for sentencing.
Anyone with information about suspected workers’ compensation insurance fraud can contact the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office at 831-755-3224 or Re*********@**************ey.gov.
