Man who said he burglarized church to feed his family sent to prison

IDAHO FALLS — A judge ordered an Idaho Falls drug user to go to prison after the man said he broke into a church to feed his starving family.

Abraham Acevedo-Alvarado, 37, received an 18-month to eight-year prison sentence on Jan. 19 after pleading guilty to felony possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, felony burglary and misdemeanor driving a vehicle without the owner’s consent.

District Judge Bruce Pickett handed down the sentence, ordering Acevedo-Alvarado to pay $3,488.50 in fees and fines, according to court records.

As part of a plea agreement, felony possession of a controlled substance and two misdemeanor drug paraphernalia charges were dismissed. A felony grand theft charge was reduced to the misdemeanor vehicle charge.

In October 2020, the Idaho Falls Police Department was called to the Holy Rosary Church after someone found damage to the property, according to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by EastIdahoNews.com. At the church, police found a donation box pried from the wall. The money, which falls into a safe in the adjacent room, showed damage with someone unsuccessfully trying to reach the funds.

Acevedo-Alvarado turned himself in for the burglary and told police he broke into the church looking for something to help him feed his kids. Acevedo-Alvarado said he and his family were evicted and had been homeless for several months. The family of nine had been sleeping in a pickup truck and hotels, according to court documents.

“He told me he said a prayer in the chapel to ask for forgiveness for what he was about to do,” an officer wrote in a police report.

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Acevedo-Alvarado told officers that as he checked the cabinets for food, he saw the donation box. That’s when he said he spent about two hours trying to fish cash out from inside and prying the safe open. Someone started coming inside the church as Acevedo-Alvarado slipped out the unlocked door he had used to get in.

Police also spoke with Acevedo-Alvarado’s wife. She said she found out about the incident when the church posted a surveillance photo of her husband on Facebook. She said she knew it was wrong but also understood why he did it. She also said the seven kids recently had to split a single hamburger for dinner.

Acevedo-Alvarado was not arrested when he talked to police about the burglary but a warrant for him was issued a few days later.

A few days later, officers were called to conduct a welfare check at the Candlewood Suites. Hotel staff said Acevedo-Alvarado’s wife checked into the hotel with around seven kids and staff members were concerned for their wellbeing.

Inside the hotel room, police found Acevedo-Alvarado, a dog and five kids. His wife was also inside the room but hiding. A search of the room also uncovered bags of methamphetamine which Acevedo-Alvarado said he planned to sell. Officers also discovered a residue-covered pipe, which Acevedo-Alvarado said he used to smoke meth.

Police arrested Acevedo-Alvarado’s wife on a warrant put out by probation officers, and the five kids were placed in the custody of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Court documents don’t specify what happened to the two other children.

After bailing out of jail and as the burglary and drug cases unfolded, Acevedo-Alvarado stole another person’s car. Investigators discovered the stolen car parked behind a building and noticed Acevedo-Alvarado had been recently pulled over in the stolen car. He was given a ticket for having a fake plate and not having a valid driver’s license.

Investigators then asked for a warrant for Acevedo-Alvarado to be put behind bars. With the sentencing, Acevedo-Alvarado is expected to be transferred to the custody of the Idaho Department of Correction.