A man and woman from South Los Angeles have been arrested on federal charges for allegedly blocking and following Homeland Security agents during an immigration operation earlier this year, according to prosecutors.
Gustavo Torres, 28, and Kiara Jaime-Flores, 34, face a conspiracy charge for allegedly impeding federal officers who were in L.A. to serve search warrants at multiple homes.
On the morning of Feb. 28, ICE agents were executing four warrants in L.A., including in the South L.A. neighborhood.
According to the United States Department of Justice, a crowd began forming outside one of the homes, with members of the crowd shouting “hostile remarks.”
The agents eventually left the area, at which point federal officials say a Honda fit occupied by Torres and Flores pulled in front of their government vehicles and “blocked its pathway at the intersection.”
The DOJ also accuses the same vehicle of driving into oncoming traffic in order to pass the government vehicles, and then slamming on their brakes in an attempt to cause crash.
The complaint states that the pair continued to follow one of the vehicles for approximately two miles, crossing lanes and driving aggressively.
Torres and Jaime-Flores were arrested on Wednesday, and U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli released a statement in which he accused them of “knowingly and recklessly putting federal agents’ lives in danger.”
Essayli vowed that anyone who “deliberately gets in the way of immigration officers” will face prosecution and potential time in federal prison.
If convicted, the two could face up to six years in prison.
The ongoing investigation is being led by the Department of Homeland Security.