Los Angeles streets just got a reality check. The FBI nabbed Alejandro Theodoro Orellana on Thursday, June 12, 2025, for allegedly orchestrating a scheme to hand out face shields to anti-ICE rioters.
The arrest of Orellana, charged with conspiracy to commit civil disorders, marks a federal crackdown on escalating violence in Los Angeles, alongside the pursuit of Elpidio Reyna for assaulting federal officers. Chaos erupted the prior weekend, with rioters torching cars and pelting federal agents with rocks, reported the New York Post. President Trump responded by deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to restore order.
Riots kicked off on Saturday, June 7, 2025, as protesters in Los Angeles turned violent. They blocked highways and set vehicles ablaze, targeting federal agents with cement and stones. The mayhem signaled a sharp escalation from peaceful demonstrations.
By Tuesday, June 10, 2025, footage captured dozens of protesters swarming a pickup truck to grab “Bionic Shield” face masks. Orellana, sporting a ponytail and protective goggles, was allegedly caught on camera chatting with a rioter at the truck’s driver-side window. This wasn’t charity; it was calculated.
Fox11 reported potential outside agitators distributing PPE face shields and water to fuel the chaos. Orellana’s truck reportedly delivered dozens of these shields to anti-ICE rioters. Handing out gear to mask identities during violent protests isn’t exactly a goodwill gesture.
The FBI’s swift move to arrest Orellana underscores a no-nonsense approach to curbing disorder. “We are moving quickly to identify and arrest those involved in organizing and/or supporting civil disorder in Los Angeles,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. His words signal that enabling violence won’t get a free pass.
Essayli’s announcement on X highlighted the broader effort to restore calm. Orellana’s alleged role in equipping rioters paints him as a key player in the unrest. Supplying tools to dodge accountability isn’t protest—it’s conspiracy.
Meanwhile, the FBI is hunting Elpidio Reyna, a 40-year-old accused of hurling bricks at federal officers in Paramount on June 7, 2025. “WANTED: Elpidio Reyna can run, but he can’t hide,” Essayli declared. That kind of bravado against law enforcement rarely ends well.
Reyna faces charges of assault on a federal officer, with a potential eight-year prison sentence if convicted. His alleged attack, caught on film, could have been deadly. Throwing bricks isn’t free speech; it’s a crime.
President Trump’s deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops aims to quell the violence. The move reflects a firm stance against rioting that has spiraled beyond peaceful protest. Los Angeles residents deserve streets, not war zones.
Orellana’s arrest sends a clear message: orchestrating chaos has a price. The “Bionic Shield” masks were meant to hide faces, but they couldn’t shield him from the FBI. Clever gear doesn’t outsmart justice.
Reyna’s case is equally stark. His alleged brick-throwing targeted officers leaving a command post, a reckless act that endangered lives. Running from accountability only delays the inevitable.
The violence in Los Angeles stems from anti-ICE sentiments, but burning cars and attacking officers solves nothing. Protests can voice dissent without descending into destruction. The line between activism and anarchy is clear.
Essayli’s resolve to pursue those fueling the disorder is a nod to law-abiding citizens. “He threw rocks at federal officers… a brazen attack caught on film,” he said of Reyna. Such clarity cuts through the fog of progressive excuses.
As the FBI tightens the net, Los Angeles may see calmer days. Orellana and Reyna’s alleged actions remind us that enabling or enacting violence undermines any cause. Order, not chaos, paves the way for real change.
