A local activist who distributed protective face shields to protesters during demonstrations against the Trump administration’s handling of migrant issues was indicted by a federal jury on Wednesday.
Alejandro Orellana, 29, affiliated with the Boyle Heights community organization Centro CSO, is facing charges of conspiracy and supporting civil disobedience, as indicated by court records.
The indictment claims that Orellana and at least two others drove a pickup truck to downtown Los Angeles on June 9, handing out Uvex bionic face shields and other supplies to protesting crowds near a federal building.
Prosecutors allege Orellana aided protesters who faced non-lethal projectiles deployed by Los Angeles police and the county sheriff’s deputies following an illegal declaration.
Orellana is set to appear in court on Thursday morning. Attempts to reach his public defender for comments went unanswered.
Bill Essayri, a former California Congressman appointed by Trump, is leading the charge against anyone believed to obstruct immigration enforcement or threaten police during the protests. Federal prosecutors have launched at least 14 cases related to the protests, with Essayri promising that additional charges will follow.
During a press conference last month, when asked if distributing protective equipment constituted a crime, Essayri stated Orellana was specifically giving supplies to protesters who were violent.
“He wasn’t giving out masks on the beach. These people are hiding their faces and wearing backpacks. They weren’t peaceful protesters,” he remarked. “They didn’t carry political signs; they were engaging in violence.”
Essayri labeled those who remained at the protest after the illegal assembly as “rioters,” arguing that peaceful protesters wouldn’t need face shields.
Orellana, who works for UPS and has a clean criminal record, previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps, according to fellow Centro CSO member Carlos Montes.
Montes believes that federal authorities are targeting Centro CSO due to their pro-immigration stance, highlighting that an FBI agent seized another member’s phone last week as part of the investigation into Orellana.
“These accusations are ridiculous. We want them to dismiss the charges; they’re insignificant,” Montes stated. “What he handed out was personal protective equipment, water, hand sanitizer, and snacks.”
A U.S. Marine Corps spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for Orellana’s service records.
Montes also countered Essayri’s claims about the need for protective gear, pointing out numerous instances where protesters have been seriously injured by police actions in recent years.
Last month’s investigations revealed cases where protesters reported that LAPD used rubber ammunition and crowd control measures without warning, resulting in a range of serious injuries, including broken bones and concussions among demonstrators and journalists.
