A South Los Angeles tow truck driver was arrested Tuesday on a federal charge alleging he illegally towed a vehicle used by law enforcement officers to conduct an immigration-related arrest last month.
Bobby Nunez, 33, is charged with theft of government property and is expected to make his initial appearance Tuesday afternoon in Los Angeles federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
If convicted, Nunez would face up to 10 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.
According to an affidavit, Nunez interfered with federal officers in downtown Los Angeles as they were arresting Tatiana Mafla-Martinez, 23, an undocumented immigrant from Colombia.
Court papers show the officers were using two government law enforcement vehicles to box in Martinez’s vehicle and prevent her from escaping. Both government vehicles had their emergency lights activated during the incident, which occurred Aug. 15 at the exit of a luxury apartment complex’s parking structure, federal prosecutors said.
During the struggle to arrest Martinez, Nunez approached Martinez’s vehicle and began closing the passenger door of her vehicle on an officer, who then threatened Nunez with arrest, court papers allege.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office contends that after being told a federal investigation was taking place, Nunez swore at the officers and told them “something was going to happen” to them.
While officers addressed a second person’s interference in the arrest, Nunez climbed into his Dodge tow truck and towed one of the government vehicles that was boxing in Martinez’s vehicle, federal prosecutors allege.
The government vehicle had its keys inside and a firearm locked in a safe inside it as well, authorities said.
Two days later, law enforcement say they observed Nunez’s tow truck parked in an assigned residential space at the apartment complex.