Federal authorities have arrested a man they believe played a significant role in arming individuals involved in violent demonstrations in Los Angeles with “bionic” face shields.
Suspect distributed advanced face shields to rioters
According to the FBI, Alejandro Theodoro Orellana was taken into custody on Thursday for allegedly distributing advanced face shields to rioters from the back of a pickup truck.
Prosecutors say these face shields, described as “bionic,” were handed out during the unrest in the city.
U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, confirmed the arrest, noting that Orellana has been charged with conspiracy to commit civil disorder.
“We are moving quickly to identify and arrest those involved in organizing and/or supporting civil disorder in Los Angeles,” Essayli wrote in a post on X.
🚨BREAKING: The man who passed out bionic face shields to LA rioters has now BEEN ARRESTED.
U.S. Attorney Essayli: "We are moving quickly to identify and arrest those involved in organizing and/or supporting civil disorder in Los Angeles."
Now find out who paid him. pic.twitter.com/7GQpXEadlN
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) June 12, 2025
Orellana is facing charges under 18 U.S. Code § 371, which could result in a maximum sentence of five years if convicted.
Authorities believe the distribution of such high-cost protective gear, which is valued at $35 and higher per face shield, raises questions about the level of financial support behind the disturbances.
Officials are skeptical that Orellana financed the operation alone, considering the volume of equipment handed out freely.
Man arrested for throwing rocks at feds
Alongside the arrest, the FBI has launched a search for another suspect identified as 40-year-old Elpidio Reyna.
Reyna is accused of hurling rocks at federal agents as they exited a command post in Paramount.
The incident, reportedly caught on camera, could have had lethal consequences, according to authorities.
“WANTED: Elpidio Reyna can run, but he can’t hide. He threw rocks at federal officers leaving a command post in Paramount on Saturday, a brazen attack caught on film and that could have resulted in deaths,” said Essayli in another statement on X.
On CNN’s “The Source,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell praised current prosecutorial efforts.
He noted that Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and Essayli have been working in coordination to bring charges related to Molotov cocktail use during the riots.
He noted that the U.S. Attorney “as well, filed charges, this morning, on some folks for possession and throwing, I believe, of Molotov cocktails.”
“We’ve seen that now more than we usually see in these types of demonstrations, protests, and in further,” he noted.
Feds arrest suspect for attacking agents
Federal agents also detained another suspect, Christian Cerna-Camacho, in a separate but related incident.
Early Wednesday morning, officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) intercepted Cerna-Camacho by ramming their vehicles into his car.
Footage released of the arrest shows Cerna-Camacho exiting his vehicle with his hands raised, visibly trembling as agents surrounded him with weapons drawn.
According to reports, Cerna-Camacho informed officers, “I’ve got two kids in my car,” before walking slowly toward them with his hands on his head. He was then cuffed and searched.
During the encounter, Cerna-Camacho appeared to attempt to clarify his position, stating he was not a criminal.
This was no hit and run. This was a targeted arrest of a violent rioter who punched a CBP officer. When Homeland Security Investigations tried to arrest Christian Damian Cerno-Camacho for the assault, he attempted to flee. He was ultimately arrested and taken into custody.
Our… pic.twitter.com/cm3r8kVRj0
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) June 11, 2025
“You remember Saturday?” one agent asked him, referencing the alleged assault of a federal officer.
“Yes, I remember you when you pushed on me. You pushed me,” Cerna-Camacho replied.
“I was on a public road, man,” he told them repeatedly. “I was on public property. I was in the middle of the street and you pushed me. You put your hands on me.”
The agent responded by reminding him that the incident was caught on video. Cerna-Camacho said he also had video of the altercation but continued to deny wrongdoing.
As he was taken from the scene, he remarked about the damage done to his vehicle: “You guys are going to pay for that s***.”
In a statement posted to X, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin explained the circumstances surrounding the arrest.
“This was no hit and run. This was a targeted arrest of a violent rioter who PUNCHED a CBP officer,” she wrote.
McLaughlin added that Cerna-Camacho attempted to flee when HSI agents tried to take him into custody.
Cerna-Camacho was not alone in the car at the time of his arrest. According to LAPD, his wife was in the front passenger seat, while a toddler and a baby were in the back. A
dditional video from the scene showed the woman arguing with officers as a crowd began to gather.
The incident is being reviewed as a potential assault with a deadly weapon due to the collision between law enforcement and Cerna-Camacho’s vehicle.
The Department of Homeland Security condemned the rise in violence targeting law enforcement in a statement.
“Our officers are facing a 413 percent increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murders, rapists, and gang members,” the agency stated.
DHS also issued a stern warning to those engaging in violent activity in Los Angeles.
“Secretary Noem’s message to the LA rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down,” the agency commented.
“ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
