Four men, including illegal migrant, charged with throwing Molotov cocktails at officers in SoCal

Four men are facing federal charges of assault and throwing Molotov cocktails at law enforcement officers during anti-immigration enforcement protests in California, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California on Wednesday.

One of the accused men includes an illegal migrant identified as 23-year-old Emiliano Garduno Galvez. The man allegedly has a criminal record and a previous deportation order, according to the Washington Times.

“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,” Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary at Homeland Security, said. “These are the types of criminal illegal aliens that rioters are fighting to protect.”

Galvez and another suspect, Wrackkie Quiogue, 27, of Long Beach, who are both in custody, were charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device, which comes with a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

On Saturday, Galvez allegedly lit and threw a Molotov cocktail over a wall where Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies were engaging in crowd control activities, before running away, according to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint. 

The deputies were there as a violent crowd had assembled at the location earlier, which was near a staging area for federal agents who were preparing for immigration enforcement operations.

Quiogue on Sunday allegedly 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 him with the incendiary device and quickly arrested him, but as he attempted to flee arrest, he threw the device, according to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint.

“When protesting crosses the line into violence, the penalties will be severe,” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. “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.”

Christian Andres Garcia, 32, of Anaheim, and Rene Luna, 43, of Orange, are charged with assault on a federal officer during a protest in Santa Ana, a charge that is punishable by up to one year in federal prison.

On Monday, Garcia allegedly threw objects at law enforcement stationed outside a Homeland Security Investigations office in Santa Ana during a protest, according to court documents. Luna also allegedly threw beer cans and water bottles at officers during that protest. Both Garcia and Luna were arrested.