A man who allegedly threw large rocks onto two moving California Highway Patrol vehicles with officers inside and then allegedly tossed a flaming bundle onto a parked patrol car that caught fire on the Hollywood (101) Freeway in downtown Los Angeles during a protest sparked by federal immigration raids has been charged with state and federal counts, authorities announced Tuesday.
Adam Palermo, 39, of Los Angeles, pleaded not guilty in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Tuesday afternoon to four felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and one felony count each of arson and vandalism in connection with the June 8 crimes.
Deputy District Attorney Michael Michelena told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Theresa R. McGonigle that Palermo allegedly threw large rocks or concrete at two CHP vehicles as they were moving — damaging the vehicles — and then allegedly lit items on fire and threw the bundle at a CHP SUV that was parked. The prosecutor told the judge that Palermo allegedly boasted on social media about what he had done.
In court papers, the prosecutor wrote that “one agitator who was not engaged in peaceful protest stuck out on multiple videos in distinctive clothing” was later identified as Palermo, and that the burned SUV was deemed a “total loss” by the CHP.
Michelena added in the court filing that “CHP investigators received tips about the defendant’s identity in part because he openly bragged on social media about the damage he had done and the acts of violence he had committed against the officers.”
District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters at a news conference earlier Tuesday that “an anonymous tip from Crime Stoppers is what helped law enforcement identify, locate and arrest Mr. Palermo on the state charges.”
Referring to a social media post allegedly from Palermo, the district attorney added: “Mr. Palermo has basically said that this was his most productive day, literally causing this damage, committing these crimes … It was not a productive day. It was a day of destruction, a day of violating the laws, and it will be eventually a day of accountability.”
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli told reporters that Palermo — who was arrested last Friday by the CHP and federal agents — was allegedly “caught on video participating in the attack.”
“His social media account contained a collage of photographs and videos depicting a man holding flying debris, a CHP patrol car on fire and various other damage to CHP patrol cars,” Essayli said.
The U.S. Attorney said Palermo allegedly wrote in the caption on social media that “I’m most proud of what I did today” out of all of the protests he had been involved in, which he wrote was well over 100.
CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris told reporters that detectives took Palermo into custody “for his role in a violent attack on CHP personnel,” saying that he is accused of throwing rocks at officers and participating in the arson of a patrol vehicle.
“These are not protest actions,” he said. “These are serious felonies and direct threats to public safety.”
Along with the state charges that carry a maximum of nine years and eight months in state prison, Palermo is facing a federal count of attempted arson of a vehicle used in interstate or foreign commerce, according to the U.S. attorney. Essayli said the federal charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a statutory maximum of 20 years behind bars.
“He will not be doing any more protests for the … foreseeable future,” the U.S. attorney added.
Palermo remains behind bars while awaiting a June 30 hearing, when a judge is expected to determine whether there is enough evidence to allow the state case against him to proceed to trial.
Others facing charges stemming from alleged crimes during the recent protests include:
— William Rubio, 23, of Los Angeles, who is charged with two felony counts each of assault on a peace officer and use of a destructive device to injure or destroy. The district attorney said undercover officers saw Rubio allegedly throwing fireworks at Los Angeles City Fire Department and Los Angeles Police Department personnel who responded June 8 to put out a fire that had been set in a trash bin at First and Spring streets, and that he was spotted 30 minutes later while allegedly throwing fireworks at Los Angeles police officers who were on a skirmish line. Rubio faces a maximum of eight years and eight months in state prison if convicted as charged, the district attorney said.
— Antonio DeLa Rosa, 44, of Lynwood, who is accused of one felony count of discharge of a laser at an aircraft. Hochman said the defendant allegedly pointed a green laser at an LAPD helicopter during a June 12 protest in San Pedro. He could face up to three years in state prison if convicted as charged, the district attorney said.
— Eddie Lee Baldwin, 39, of Los Angeles, who is charged with a felony count of second-degree commercial burglary. The district attorney said Baldwin was allegedly among dozens of people who forced their way into an Apple store in downtown Los Angeles to loot it, adding that he could face up to six years behind bars.
— Terrill Tillis, 30, of Wilmington, who is charged with one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon and one misdemeanor count of giving or receiving a large-capacity magazine. He was detained June 11 for allegedly violating the city-mandated curfew, and could face up to six years and six months in state prison, Hochman said.
— Angus Johnson, 24, of Los Angeles, who is charged in federal court with assaulting a federal agent for allegedly spitting on a California National Guardsman after heckling him Saturday outside the federal building on Los Angeles Street, according to the U.S. attorney. Johnson “then spit on other federal police officers present who were trying to keep the peace,” Essayli said. Johnson faces up to eight years in prison if convicted as charged.
“We have dozens of ongoing investigations and we are continuing our work to identify individuals who engaged in violence,” Essayli said. “Their masks, their face shields will not save them. We will find them, and we will go to their home, and we will arrest them.”