| LOS ANGELES – Two Los Angeles County men have been charged via federal criminal complaints with possessing Molotov cocktails during the recent civil unrest in downtown Los Angeles and Paramount stemming from protests against federal immigration enforcement operations, the Justice Department announced today. The following defendants have been charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison:Emiliano Garduno Galvez, 23, of Paramount; andWrackkie Quiogue, 27, of Long Beach.Both defendants are in custody. Quiogue was ordered detained at his initial courtappearance on Tuesday. Galvez is expected to make their initial appearance in United States District Court in the coming days. “When protesting crosses the line into violence, the penalties will be severe,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Possessing a Molotov cocktail or another destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison. The vile attacks such as the ones alleged in these complaints could have resulted in life-altering or life-ending injuries to police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and innocent bystanders. We will not relent in dispensing swift justice to criminals who take advantage of our country’s freedoms to engage in lawlessness.” According to an affidavit filed with the complaint charging Galvez, on the evening of June 7 in Paramount, Galvez lit and threw a Molotov cocktail over a wall where Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputies were engaging in crowd control activities then ran away. A violent crowd had assembled in that location earlier in the day near a staging area for federal agents who were preparing for immigration enforcement operations. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint charging Quiogue, on June 8, Quiogue possessed a Molotov cocktail while holding a lighter during civil unrest near federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles’s Civic Center. Los Angeles Police Department officers saw Quiogue with the device and quickly arrested him. As Quiogue attempted to flee arrest, he threw the Molotov. Charged separately via criminal complaints are the following defendants, who are charged with assault on a federal officer, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in federal prison, stemming from violence at recent rallies in Santa Ana:Christian Andres Garcia, 32, of Anaheim; andRene Luna, 43, of Orange.Both defendants are expected to make their initial appearances in United StatesDistrict Court in Santa Ana in the coming days.According to court documents, on June 9, Garcia threw objects at lawenforcement personnel stationed outside a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office in Santa Ana. Luna allegedly threw water bottles and beer cans at officers during the same protest. Both defendants were arrested. A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating Quiogue and Galvez with the assistance of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. HSI is investigating Garcia and Luna. The FBI is assisting with the Galvez investigation. Assistant United States Attorney David C. Lachman of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting Quiogue. Assistant United States Attorney Jenna W. Long, also of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, is prosecuting Galvez. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Yang of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting Garcia and Luna. Release No. 25-174 |
LA Riot Arrests – Federal Complaints Charge SoCal Residents with Assault,Throwing Molotov Cocktails at Officers During Recent Civil Unrest
