The Division of Justice filed prison costs Tuesday in opposition to a person they are saying was behind the wheel of a tow truck that drove off with a federal agent’s automobile because the agent was arresting a preferred TikTok influencer in Los Angeles final month.
Bobby Nunez, 33, of South Los Angeles is accused of theft of presidency property and is due in federal court docket Tuesday.
Nunez allegedly interfered with federal regulation enforcement officers on Aug. 15 in downtown Los Angeles as they have been making an attempt to arrest Tatiana Mafla-Martinez, 23, who’s suspected of residing within the nation illegally, based on an affidavit filed in assist of the prison grievance.
Movies of the arrest went viral as Martinez was stay on TikTok when she was arrested. Recordings by witnesses confirmed officers dragging Martinez out of her automotive by her legs and arms earlier than inserting her on the bottom and handcuffing her. Federal authorities accused Martinez of not being compliant through the arrest.
Martinez’s lawyer, Carlos Jurado, couldn’t instantly be reached for remark. However in an interview with ABC7, he mentioned his consumer feared for her security.
“The explanation she didn’t come out is, these are, these are masked males, they usually mentioned that they had a warrant. She simply wished them to show it, ‘Present me the warrant,’ they usually by no means displayed something,” he mentioned.
He instructed the station that his consumer was focused as a result of she was utilizing her platform to movie Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Los Angeles, such because the arrest of a strawberry supply driver. Her account reveals an array of movies about crime incidents, meals and clothes giveaways in addition to immigration associated movies about potential raids and the placement of previous operations.
Division of Homeland Safety spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin mentioned that Martinez had been convicted for driving beneath the affect in Los Angeles and had entered the nation illegally in 2022, however was launched. Jurado instructed ABC7 that Martinez arrived from Colombia.
“Throughout her arrest, Martinez claimed to expertise shortness of breath,” McLaughlin mentioned in a written assertion to The Instances. “She was given correct medical remedy and will likely be held in ICE custody pending elimination proceedings.“
She mentioned a tow truck driver had additionally towed a authorities automobile that was concerned in Martinez’s arrest.
“He mocked and videotaped ICE officers chasing after him,” she mentioned within the assertion. “Secretary Noem has been clear: Anybody who seeks to impede regulation enforcement will likely be discovered and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the regulation.”
At the very least two authorities regulation enforcement autos have been used to field in Martinez’s automobile as she was about to exit the parking construction of the Da Vinci Residences close to Fremont Avenue and Temple Road.
On the time, witnesses instructed The Instances that they noticed three males in masks apprehend a lady in a Tesla who was leaving the parking storage of the Da Vinci, an condominium constructing on Temple Road subsequent to the 110 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles. A close-by employee, who was standing throughout the road, instructed The Instances that the boys threw her to the bottom and had their knees on her neck.
“They handled her like an animal,” mentioned Willie Lopez, a upkeep supervisor.
Footage from Martinez’s stay recording on TikTok reveals her digital camera dealing with the passenger seat. Within the background, a lady is telling an agent to attend as he yells at her to get out of the automotive.
“I’m going to get out however wait,” she says in Spanish earlier than screaming because the brokers seem to drag her out.
Federal authorities alleged that as they have been making an attempt to arrest Martinez, Nunez walked as much as the suspect’s automobile and tried to open the passenger door. An officer instructed Nunez that they have been conducting a “federal investigation” and threatened to arrest him, based on affidavit.
Officers grew to become distracted when a second man approached the automobile. By then, Nunez started towards his tow truck.
“Nunez acquired into his tow truck and towed one of many authorities autos that was boxing in Martinez’s automobile,” the affidavit learn. “On the time of this interference, the federal government automobile had keys inside in addition to a firearm locked in a protected additionally contained in the automobile.”
One of many officers chased the tow truck on foot and noticed that Nunez was “laughing” as he recorded the officer together with his cellphone, based on the affidavit.
Over the following few days, Division of Homeland Safety brokers started gathering proof together with reviewing social media movies and finding a tow truck on the similar condominium complicated that helped them conclude it belong to Nunez. It’s unclear when Nunez was arrested, but when convicted, he would face a statutory most sentence of 10 years in federal jail.
A Instances investigation in July discovered that the aggressive pursuit of federal costs in opposition to individuals protesting immigration enforcement in Southern California has led to weak circumstances being rejected repeatedly by grand juries. Numerous others have been dismissed.
Employees Author Brittny Mejia contributed to this report
