LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for throwing a Molotov cocktail at sheriff’s deputies during protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles County last spring.
Emiliano Garduno Galvez, a Mexican national allegedly in the U.S. illegally, pleaded guilty in October to charges of possessing an unregistered destructive device and civil disorder due to his actions on June 7 in Paramount, a city near Los Angeles. His sentencing took place on Friday.
On the day of the protest, law enforcement officers were responding to a large demonstration where protesters were throwing rocks outside a Home Depot location where U.S. Border Patrol agents had gathered.
According to the plea agreement, Galvez admitted to igniting the incendiary device and throwing it towards the deputies, about 15 feet away, intending to obstruct their official duties. After throwing the Molotov cocktail, he fled the scene.
Federal prosecutors emphasized that his reckless actions endangered the lives of law enforcement officers and innocent protesters, with U.S. Assistant Attorney Bill Essayli stating, “This defendant’s reckless behavior threatened the lives and safety of law enforcement officers and that of a lawful protester.”
Galvez’s public defenders argued for a lighter sentence of three years, stating he now recognizes the seriousness of his actions. However, the court’s decision underscored the potential dangers posed during the chaotic protests, which included both peaceful marches and violent clashes leading to numerous arrests.
