A Koreatown man pleaded not guilty Monday to charges alleging he threw Molotov cocktails at security officers inside a federal building in downtown Los Angeles, an attack law enforcement believes was motivated by anti-illegal immigration enforcement sentiment.
Jose Francisco Jovel, 54, faces five felony charges, including attempted malicious damage of federal property, carrying an explosive during the commission of a felony, and possession of unregistered destructive devices.
He remains jailed without bond pending trial tentatively set for Feb. 10.
An affidavit states that Jovel — who hours earlier had allegedly set his Koreatown apartment on fire after receiving an eviction notice — arrived Dec. 1 at the Federal Building, located at 300 N. Los Angeles St. in downtown’s Civic Center. He allegedly carried multiple shopping bags.
The building houses offices for several federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Prosecutors say that while standing at the base of the stairs outside the building’s main entrance, Jovel reached into one of the bags on his bicycle’s handlebars and threw a Molotov cocktail through the building’s sliding door, which was open at the time, and is marked as an employee entrance.
Jovel then threw another Molotov cocktail through the then-open door of the Federal Building’s public entrance, where a line of members of the public were waiting to go through security to enter the building, court papers allege.
Molotov cocktails are hand-thrown incendiary weapons consisting of breakable containers filled with flammable substances and equipped with fuses. A typical version consists of a glass bottle filled with flammable liquid sealed with a cloth wick.
Evidence collected from the scene, including surveillance video, allegedly indicates Jovel attempted to light at least one of the devices.
Federal officers immediately arrested Jovel then searched the bags he brought with him, which contained a lighter and five additional Molotov cocktails, according to the affidavit.
Los Angeles police and fire crews evacuated a portion of the building while police conducted an investigation, and Los Angeles Street was closed between Temple and Aliso streets. The area was cleared by about 11 a.m. the same morning.
During his arrest, Jovel allegedly said he was motivated by his anger at the federal government because of its immigration policies and actions.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jovel described his actions as “a terrorist attack” and said to the officers, “you’re separating families” — a remark commonly made by opponents of current U.S. government immigration policies. He then yelled for people to “start shooting these,” referring to the officers, prosecutors contend.
If convicted as charged, Jovel could face decades in federal prison, prosecutors noted.
“This case exemplifies how misleading and hateful rhetoric against federal law enforcement can and does result in violence,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement after Jovel was charged. “Irresponsible rhetoric by politicians and activists have real-world consequences. It must stop.”