U.S. Attorney for California’s Central District, Bill Essayli, said at a June 11 press conference that criminal charges have been filed against L.A. and Orange County residents suspected of committing violence against law enforcement officers during the anti-ICE (Immigration, Customs, and Enforcement) protest that erupted on June 6 and continued for days, despite warnings from law enforcement to disperse after they were declared “unlawful assemblies” due to risks to public safety and curfew orders.
Two Los Angeles County men—one of them an illegal alien from Mexico—who had Molotov cocktails on hand have been charged with possessing unregistered destructive devices during the protests in the downtown and Paramount areas, according to the federal Department of Justice (DOJ).
They were named as Mexican national Emiliano Garduno Galvez, 23, of Paramount, and Wrackkie Quiogue, 27, of Long Beach.
Essayli has warned since the unrest erupted that violence and criminal activity will not be tolerated.
“When protesting crosses the line into violence, the penalties will be severe,” Essayli said. “Possessing a Molotov cocktail or another destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.”
Such “vile attacks” could cause “life-altering or life-ending injuries” to police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and innocent bystanders, he said.
“We will not relent in dispensing swift justice to criminals who take advantage of our country’s freedoms to engage in lawlessness,” Essayli said.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint charging Galvez, he allegedly lit and threw a Molotov cocktail on June 7 over a wall in Paramount—where L.A. County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputies were stationed for crowd control—and then fled the scene.
Earlier in the day, a violent crowd had formed in the location near a staging area for federal agents who were preparing for immigration enforcement operations.
The other suspect, Quiogue, allegedly possessed a Molotov cocktail while holding a lighter near federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles when LAPD officers spotted him with the device and arrested him on June 8. He allegedly threw the Molotov as he attempted to flee.
Separately, Christian Andres Garcia, 32, of Anaheim, and Rene Luna, 43, of Orange, were charged with assaulting a federal officer and could face up to one year in federal prison. Their charges stem from violence at recent rallies in Santa Ana.
On June 9, Garcia allegedly threw objects at law enforcement personnel stationed outside a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office in Santa Ana, while Luna allegedly threw water bottles and beer cans at officers during the same protest. Both defendants were arrested.
Attorneys for Galvez, Quiogue, Garcia and Luna could not be reached for comment before publication.
At a separate press conference with L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman highlighted several of the cases that will be prosecuted, adding that police will bring “dozens and dozens” more cases to the D.A.’s office to consider in the weeks to come.
“We will look through all those cases. And by the way, as a quick aside for any individual who’s engaged in criminal conduct but did not get immediately arrested, let me provide some bad news for you: there is a tremendous amount of video out there through social media, and otherwise,” Hochman told reporters.
“We will know who you are, who engaged in this conduct. We will track you down, we will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will punish you,” he said. “We’re coming for you.”
A man puts on gloves in front of a line of police officers in downtown Los Angeles on June 9, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
Hochman said he fiercely supports the right to free speech and peaceful protest, but that an attack on police officers and public or private property “is an attack on all of us,” and criminals will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
“We will protect those who hurl insults; we will prosecute those who hurl bricks, cinder blocks, or fireworks at officers,” he said.
‘Deadly Weapons’
Juan Rodriguez, 47, of Gardena, was charged with one felony count each of assault upon a police officer, resisting arrest, and advocating violence against an officer, causing injury.
On June 8, at about 5 p.m., Rodriguez allegedly passed out commercial-grade fireworks to a group of protesters who lit them and threw the items at police officers at the intersection of First and Los Angeles streets. He is also accused of throwing fireworks at officers, one of whom was injured by burning sparks from the exploding device. If convicted, he faces up to six years and four months in state prison.
Randy Paul Ruiz, 28, and Georgina Ravellero, 24, were charged with two felony counts of assaulting a police officer at a skirmish line at the corner of Temple and Alameda streets on June 8.
Ruiz allegedly drove a motorcycle into the line of officers, and minutes later, Ravellero allegedly drove another motorcycle into the officers, injuring one and knocking down several others. If convicted as charged, Ruiz and Ravellero each face up to six years and four months in state prison.
Ulysses Sanchez, 37, of Los Angeles, was charged with one felony count each of assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon, and one misdemeanor count each of reckless driving and possession of a smoking device.
Sanchez is accused of recklessly driving a minivan downtown, where he allegedly drove directly at protesters who then threw rocks and other items at the vehicle as he repeatedly drove in circles before speeding away. He was later arrested, and sheriff’s deputies found a loaded ghost gun and a methamphetamine pipe. If convicted, Sanchez faces up to 25 years to life in state prison.
Christopher Gonzalez, 26, of Van Nuys, and Yoselyn Johnson, 40, of Los Angeles, are both charged with one felony count of conspiracy to commit vandalism and two felony counts of vandalism on June 9.
Gonzalez is accused of vandalizing an apartment complex in the 500 block of South Broadway, while Johnson allegedly acted as a lookout. They drove away, and about an hour later, Gonzalez allegedly painted graffiti on the side of the Hall of Justice while Johnson kept watch. If convicted, they each face up to three years in prison.
Timmie Paulk, 30, and Raven Mitchell, 25, both of Los Angeles, are charged with one felony count each of second-degree commercial burglary and grand theft.
Mitchell was parked near a Nike store in the 600 block of South Broadway that was allegedly being looted. Paulk is accused of stealing multiple items from the store and fleeing in a car that Mitchell was driving. They were arrested a short time later. They could each face up to three years in state prison.
The Los Angeles County Public Defenders office did not respond to a request for comment. Attorneys for the accused could not be reached for comment before publication deadline.
Peaceful vs Unlawful Protests
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell thanked local, state, and federal agencies for support while echoing that peaceful protest is welcome, but criminal actions will not be tolerated.
“I’ve watched Molotov cocktails and fireworks mortars being launched out of tubes at our officers,” he said. “They’re encountering routinely M-type fireworks and commercial grade fireworks, which in the state of California are considered explosives, and they can kill.”
Flames engulf an autonomous Waymo vehicle during an anti-ICE protest in downtown Los Angeles on June 8, 2025. Benjamin Hanson/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna thanked Essayli and Hochman for prosecuting violent protesters who’ve attacked police officers with “rocks, bottles, Molotov cocktails, pyrotechnics, pepper spray.”
Luna said there is a big distinction between peaceful protesters and “violent, destructive basically anarchists” creating chaos.
He issued a warning to violent protesters: “If you didn’t get caught the last couple of nights, there’s a lot of evidence out there and you’re probably going to get detectives or others knocking on your door and arresting you.”
Meanwhile, the FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Elpidio Reyna, 40, of Compton, who was seen on video allegedly hurling rocks at law enforcement vehicles and injuring a federal officer in Paramount on June 7 during the protests.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino posted June 10 on X: “Turn yourself in. It’s only a matter of time. I promise.”
More than 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines are now in the Greater Los Angeles area. The protests continued into June 11 but were more subdued with increased law enforcement and military presence.
The protests began on June 6 after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted immigration raids in the “sanctuary city.”
Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar” advisor, has also warned that California officials who work against ICE could also face federal charges.
Immigration protesters confront federal agents and California Army National Guardsmen in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 8, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt released a statement on June 7, accusing “violent mobs” of attacking ICE agents and federal law enforcement agents for carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles.
“The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs. These criminals will be arrested and swiftly brought to justice,” she said in the statement.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom called President Donald Trump’s deployment of federal troops a “brazen abuse of power” in a speech on June 10.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass imposed an 8 p.m. curfew in downtown Los Angeles that evening, but many protesters lingered for more than hours until they were arrested.
Post a Comment