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An individual who became widely known for purportedly delivering “bionic shield” face masks to rioters in Los Angeles was apprehended by the FBI in a sting operation at his residence on Thursday morning following the incident that took place on Tuesday.
Alejandro Theodoro Orellana was taken into custody on suspicion of conspiracy to commit civil disorders.
After the arrest, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli spoke with Fox News.
Law enforcement officials have placed a strong emphasis on identifying, locating, and apprehending individuals involved in coordinating, endorsing, financing, or aiding the riots, according to statements released by authorities.
The National Guard assisted the FBI in the arrest of the man investigators say delivered masks to L.A. rioters on June 12, 2025. (Matt Finn)
California Governor Gavin Newsom has cautioned that the deployment of military forces marks the start of a more extensive campaign by Trump to disrupt the fundamental principles of the American political system. During her testimony in front of Congress on Thursday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the actions as an attack on the core values of the nation.
The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday ordered federal prosecutors to prioritize criminal prosecution of protesters who destroy property or assault law enforcement, and to make sure every case they bring gets publicized, according to an internal email seen by Reuters.
An FBI agent appears in the doorway of a home during the arrest of Alejandro Theodoro Orellana on June 12, 2025. (Matt Finn)
The email, which was sent to all 93 U.S. attorneys, comes a week after a wave of protests that started in Los Angeles and have spread to other major cities against Trump’s immigration crackdown. Trump has dispatched some 700 U.S. Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, saying they are needed to back up immigration raids.
“There should be no bottleneck of referrals for complaints and legal process,” wrote Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh.
“Push out press releases whenever you file charges in these matters,” he said. “We will not stop enforcing the law and we will not be deterred from keeping our districts safe.”
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
