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LOS ANGELES – A driver who gained viral attention for allegedly distributing “bionic shield” face masks to Los Angeles rioters on Tuesday was apprehended by the FBI in a home sting operation on Thursday morning.
Alejandro Theodoro Orellana was taken into custody on suspicion of conspiracy to commit civil disorders.
After the arrest, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli spoke with Fox News.
“We have prioritized efforts to identify, locate, and arrest those involved in organizing, supporting, funding, or facilitating these riots,” he stated.
The National Guard assisted the FBI in the arrest of the man investigators say delivered masks to Los Angeles rioters on Tuesday. (Matt Finn)
California Gov. Gavin Newsom cautions that military intervention marks the beginning of a broader initiative by Trump to disrupt norms fundamental to America’s political system. While testifying before Congress on Thursday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul described it as “an assault on our American values.”
The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday ordered federal prosecutors to prioritize criminal prosecution of protesters who destroy property or assault law enforcement, and to make sure every case they bring gets publicized, according to an internal email seen by Reuters.
An FBI agent appears in the doorway of a home during the arrest of Alejandro Theodoro Orellana on Tuesday. (Matt Finn)
The email, which was sent to all 93 U.S. attorneys, comes a week after a wave of protests that started in Los Angeles and have spread to other major cities against Trump’s immigration crackdown. Trump has dispatched some 700 U.S. Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, saying they are needed to back up immigration raids.
“There should be no bottleneck of referrals for complaints and legal process,” wrote Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh.
“Push out press releases whenever you file charges in these matters,” he said. “We will not stop enforcing the law and we will not be deterred from keeping our districts safe.”
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
