Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, announced this week that one of the first federal charges was filed against Alejandro Theodoro Orellana, a man seen on video distributing boxes of face shields to demonstrators on June 9, the most chaotic night of the ongoing protests.
Footage aired by a local Fox affiliate shows a man in a black pickup truck handing out protective gear to a crowd. Fox reporter Matthew Seedorff noted live, “People are preparing for some kind of confrontation with police… You likely don’t wear a mask unless you have a plan to conceal your identity.”
Just three days later, FBI agents apprehended Orellana, charging him under federal statute 18 U.S.C. § 371: Conspiracy to Commit Civil Disorder. According to Essayli, the arrest marks the beginning of a broader crackdown.
“We are acting swiftly to identify and apprehend those involved in organizing and/or supporting civil disorder in Los Angeles,” Essayli posted on X.
Explosives, Arson, and Bragging Rights
In a separate case, Adam Palermo, 39, has been charged with a litany of felonies stemming from the same night of chaos. He’s accused of throwing rocks and improvised explosive devices at officers and torching a California Highway Patrol SUV on the U.S. 101 Freeway.
According to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, Palermo faces:
4 felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer,
1 felony count of arson,
1 count of felony vandalism.
Officials say Palermo dropped a large rock from an overpass onto a CHP vehicle, then ignited an object and hurled it at another parked patrol SUV, which burst into flames.
What’s more, prosecutors say Palermo bragged about his actions online, sharing images of the burning vehicles with the caption: “Of all the protests I’ve participated in, which now exceed 100, I take the most pride in what I accomplished today.”
Political Firestorm Over Riot Response Costs
As federal prosecutions advance, the political war over the cost of riot containment has also erupted — particularly over the $134 million spent deploying federal troops and Marines to Los Angeles.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass have publicly rebuked President Donald Trump, accusing him of misusing taxpayer dollars.
“An utterly disgraceful allocation of taxpayer funds that could be utilized to genuinely assist individuals,” Bass wrote on X.
“$134 million that ought to be directed towards LA’s fire recovery,” Newsom posted. “Shameful.”
Their remarks sparked swift backlash online, with critics pointing to billions of dollars California spends annually on benefits for illegal immigrants.
Stephen Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, wrote in response:
“Just wait until you discover how many trillions we are obligated to spend on illegal aliens.”
Andrew Clark, a GOP strategist, added:
“Now consider the $9 billion you extracted from our state treasury to finance your free healthcare initiative for illegal immigrants.”
Robby Starbuck, conservative commentator, chimed in:
“How many billions have you allocated to illegals, Gavin? It’s well into the hundreds of billions.”
Recent estimates reviewed by Fox News Digital indicate California spends tens of billions annually on services for illegal immigrants — vastly more than the $134 million cost of federal troop deployment.