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EXCLUSIVE – Federal authorities on Wednesday arrested an anti-ICE protester who allegedly damaged a vehicle belonging to immigration agents during a pot farm raid over the summer near Los Angeles.
In addition, nine other suspects were arrested for allegedly attacking law enforcement officers over the summer during immigration enforcement operations in and around Los Angeles.
“I want to be very clear. Every American has a right to peacefully protest,” Bill Essayli, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, said during a news conference. “What is not constitutionally protected is a right to engage in violence, or to impede federal agents by assaulting or doxing or obstructing their operations.”
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Among those charged were two members of VC Defensa, an organization federal prosecutors said operates and manages what they call a rapid response network to impede immigration agents, for conspiring to impede and injure federal law enforcement officers.”
One of the members charged in the complaint used her vehicle to block U.S. government vehicles from leaving the location, while another member and others ambushed the vehicles by throwing rocks at them. Several government vehicles were damaged, and a federal contract employee was injured as a rock went through and objects, including objects on fire from an overpass on her vehicle window, shattering the glass and striking her, Essayli said.
“The FBI today arrested nine violent agitators in Los Angeles for their roles in a June protest where law enforcement officers were trapped under a bridge and attacked with Molotov cocktails,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. “Violence against law enforcement will never be tolerated.
“This FBI stands shoulder to shoulder with the men and women who wear the badge—we will always defend those who defend America. Violence against law enforcement ends here,” he added.
Fox News was exclusively embedded with Homeland Security during the pre-dawn arrest of Isai Carrillo, who was taken down by agents in a dark alleyway.
Wednesday’s pre-dawn raid specifically targeted two anti-ICE activists who federal authorities said played a lead role in the disturbing, viral video that shows activists bottlenecking immigration agent’s cars and then violently smashing-in their windows during a notable pot farm raid in Camarillo, Calif., over the summer.
Carrillo was captured on video dramatically smashing in federal agents’ windows on the pot farm.
He was arrested Wednesday while attempting to flee from authorities, said Eddy Wang, Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles special agent in charge.
Virginia Reyes, who allegedly trails agents and posts videos, was also wanted at the same address as Carrillo. However, she escaped arrest Wednesday morning and is considered to be a fugitive, Wang said.
Wednesday’s arrests were part of a broader, sweeping take down across Los Angeles of suspects wanted for allegedly engaging in violence against law enforcement during this summer’s chaotic protests across the city.
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The raids allegedly associated with Carrillo happened in July when federal authorities targeted Glass House Farms in Camarillo and another site in Carpinteria.
More than 300 people were arrested, and one farmworker died after falling from a greenhouse roof. In addition, 14 minor immigrant children were found on the properties, authorities said.
“The actions taken by these suspects and others on July 10th and other related incidents were neither speech nor peaceful,” Wang said. “So let me be clear. We will vigorously protect the rights to free speech and the right to peacefully and freely assemble. But we will also, without fear or favor, deliver consequences and bring accountability to those that would assault, impede or obstruct federal law enforcement officers or destroy government property.”
The raids were part of the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration enforcement operations.
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After the raids, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott tweeted that the farm was “now under investigation for child labor violations.”
During Wednesday’s briefing, Essayli criticized local elected officials for encouraging violent behavior directed toward law enforcement.
“This is not a game. I think some people out there think this is some sort of a game or, or political stunt,” he said. “You have elected officials who are encouraging this behavior. The consequences here are extremely serious.”
He cited an operation last week in Los Angeles where a U.S. Marshal and an illegal immigrant suspect were shot. The illegal immigrant, identified as Carlitos Ricardo Parias, 44, of Mexico, allegedly used a Toyota Camry to strike law enforcement vehicles in front of and behind him.
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