In brief
Emiliano Garduno Galvez, 23, pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his actions at an immigration protest where he threw a Molotov cocktail aimed at sheriff's deputies. The incident occurred on June 7, 2023, in Paramount, California. Galvez, who is in the U.S. illegally, faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for January 30. While many protests were peaceful, some resulted in violence, clashes, and multiple arrests.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 23-year-old man has pleaded guilty to throwing a Molotov cocktail at Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies during protests against immigration raids across the region last spring. Emiliano Garduno Galvez, a Mexican national who authorities say is in the U.S. illegally, pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing an unregistered destructive device and civil disorder related to his actions on June 7 in Paramount, a city near LA. He faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced on January 30. Sheriff’s deputies responded to a large protest that day, where demonstrators were throwing rocks and other items outside a Home Depot where U.S. Border Patrol agents had gathered. According to the plea agreement obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Galvez admitted that he went behind a wall, lit the Molotov cocktail, and hurled it toward the deputies. The incendiary device landed in a grassy area near the foot of a protester, about 15 feet away from the officers. Galvez stated he then ran away. Galvez threw the device “intending to obstruct, interfere with, and impede the LASD deputies who were lawfully engaged in the performance of official duties,” as detailed in the agreement. While many demonstrations against the June immigration crackdown were peaceful, some led to clashes with police, hundreds of arrests, and the use of chemical irritants to disperse crowds.
