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Los Angeles officials have announced sweeping charges filed against numerous individuals accused of sparking violence as riots against immigration efforts continue to plague the sanctuary city.
In a news conference Tuesday, LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and California Highway Patrol Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris announced additional federal and state charges filed against numerous rioters.
“This group wanted to commit crimes,” Hochman said. “They looked at the protest as a cover, an opportunity to go ahead and ply their illegal trade and commit a whole variety of crimes that, in many ways, has done a huge disservice to the legitimate protesters out there.”
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Several arrests have stemmed from peaceful protesters reporting acts of violence, and over 45 law enforcement agencies aided in the efforts to maintain order throughout the city, Hochman said.
Of the defendants, William Rubio, has been charged with two felony counts of assault on a police officer and two felony counts of using a destructive device to injure or destroy after allegedly hurling fireworks toward law enforcement during the riots, according to Hochman.
Essayli revealed additional instances of individuals charged with federal crimes for their alleged roles in the violent riots.
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One of the protesters, Alejandro Orellana, was charged with conspiracy to commit civil disorder, along with aiding and abetting civil disorder, Essayli said. Prosecutors allege Orellana passed out face shields to people behaving violently.
“These face shields are designed to protect from chemical splashes and flying debris,” Essayli said, “which helps protect violent agitators from less than lethal weapons deployed by law enforcement.”
After the FBI executed a search warrant at Orellana’s home, authorities say they discovered a wrist rocket-style slingshot, ammunition, plastic goggles and a notebook with abbreviations for “All Cops are B——” and “murder” that allegedly belonged to Orellana.
Each charge filed against Orellana carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison.
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Essayli also pointed to the arrest of Adam Charles Palermo for his alleged role in attacking CHP officers. Palermo was charged with attempted arson of a vehicle used in interstate or foreign commerce after he was allegedly caught on camera participating in the violence.
“[Palermo’s] social media account contained a collage of photographs and videos depicting a man holding flying debris, a CHP patrol car on fire, and various other damage to CHP patrol cars,” Essayli said. “He wrote, ‘All of the protests I’ve been involved in, which is well over 100 now. I’m most proud of what I did today.’”
If convicted, Palermo faces up to 20 years in prison.
“He will not be doing any protests for the next foreseeable future,” Essayli said.
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In addition to the numerous new charges, the IRS is looking into dozens of organizations and nonprofits’ funding of the protests as part of a long-term investigation.
“The IRS [specializes] in tracing the money and finding out where it’s coming from [and] where it’s going,” Essayli said.
Since the first weekend of protests, the Los Angeles Police Department has arrested 575 people, according to a media release.
“These crimes don’t advance any cause or further any message at all,” LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said. “What they do is endanger the lives of our officers [and] harm our communities, small businesses who are desperately trying to recover in a very challenging atmosphere and our civic institutions.”
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On Saturday, 38 people were detained on various charges, including curfew violations, failure to disperse and resisting arrest as protests coincided with the “No Kings” demonstrations sweeping the nation. The protests were aimed at countering the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary military parade, which took place on President Donald Trump’s birthday.
The total comes as authorities look to regain control after riots kicked off in response to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids throughout the sanctuary city.
For several nights, police clashed with protesters in the streets of downtown LA, deploying tear gas and other crowd control measures to maintain order.
“During the crowd control situation, numerous less-lethal munitions were used,” the LAPD said.
Authorities have battled protesters hurling projectiles, setting fire to cars and launching fireworks at police officers in response to the ICE raids, and 10 members of law enforcement reported injuries as of Monday, according to the LAPD.
Of the most violent offenses, an illegal immigrant from Mexico was charged with attempted murder last week after authorities say he threw a Molotov cocktail during a demonstration, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
ILLEGAL ALIEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR THROWING MOLOTOV COCKTAIL AT OFFICERS IN LA RIOTS: DHS
“Emiliano Garduno-Galvez is a criminal illegal alien from Mexico who threatened the lives of federal law enforcement officers by attacking them with a Molotov cocktail during the violent riots in Los Angeles,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin previously said in a statement. “ICE arrested Garduno-Galvez, and he is now being charged with attempted murder. These are the types of criminal illegal aliens that rioters are fighting to protect.”
The LA District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
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