Introduction to the Incident
Adrian Martinez had clocked out for a lunch break from his Walmart job in the Pico Rivera Towne Center on June 17 when a man ran past him followed closely by an armed, masked agent.
When he saw the agent grab and “man handle” the janitor, Martinez said he turned his car around, parked and jumped out, leaving the vehicle running and the door open. He joined a growing group of people standing up for the man and telling the agents that they were acting too violently. Martinez told the agents that they were intimidating the man and goading him to run, rather than identifying themselves and explaining what was happening.
“There’s no need for all that aggressive force and for people to get treated like that,” Martinez said in an interview Wednesday. “I just want everyone to realize that what they’re doing is wrong and … they could do it in so many different ways.”
The Altercation and Detention
Eventually, agents detained Martinez, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen. Videos of the altercation and immigration raids in Pico Rivera on June 17 prompted more than 150 community members to protest outside City Hall and Towne Center and a response from city manager Steve Carmona.
Federal officials, including U.S. Attorney for the Los Angeles area Bill Essayli, claimed Martinez assaulted a federal officer. A criminal complaint dated June 19, which included sworn testimony from a Homeland Security Investigations agent, didn’t mention previous claims that Martinez had punched or hit an agent. Security footage from a nearby juice bar also didn’t show the alleged altercation, though at some points Martinez wasn’t visible in the video.
“I was just confused because all I remember is speaking up for that man and them attacking me,” Martinez said of federal immigration authorities claiming he assaulted one of their agents.
Charges and Response
Martinez was instead charged with conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer and was released on $5,000 bail on June 20. No plea was taken during his appearance in a Los Angeles federal court. An arraignment is scheduled for July 17 at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in downtown L.A.
Attorneys with the Miller Law Group representing Martinez said there are no grounds for the conspiracy charge, as Martinez didn’t know the detained man he stood up for.
“This is clearly a trumped-up charge filed to justify the federal agents’ violent treatment of Adrian,” his lawyers said in a statement.
Details of the Incident
Border Patrol agents were in the shopping center parking lot around 8:45 a.m. when they saw two people run from them and arrested one who they determined was in the country illegally, wrote Nicholas DeSimone a resident agent in charge of the HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) Integrated Operations Group Task Force, in a June 18 statement. DeSimone said he reviewed videos from social media and news media and discussed the situation with Border Patrol agents.
During the arrest, DeSimone said Martinez was driving nearby in a black sedan, when he got out of his car and confronted the agents. Other drivers also stopped, blocking some lanes as agents tried to leave with the person they arrested, DeSimone said. Drivers also honked their horns and told agents to leave, he said.
Aftermath and Community Reaction
When Martinez and other onlookers criticized the agents’ behavior at the shopping center, he said they cursed at the group to get back, cocked their guns and repeatedly knocked him to the ground, not allowing him to get back up.
At one point, the agents lifted Martinez by his neck and continued pushing him down, grabbing and dragging him until they threw him by his feet into a vehicle, he said.
Footage from the Aguas Tijuana’s Juice Bar shows Martinez pull up to agents and get out of a black car after an agent from a white pickup truck grabs a man who was running from Border Patrol. Martinez later puts a trash can in front of the pickup truck, the footage shows.
Personal Accounts and Reactions
“My son was just practicing his freedom of speech,” said Myra Villarreal, Martinez’s mother. “He did not punch nobody. He did not put hands on nobody. They put hands on him first. They initiated the violence.”
Villarreal wasn’t surprised to learn her son had stood up for someone being detained. Martinez, his mother said, is kind and stands up for others before thinking of himself. She was upset to learn that federal officials posted her son’s photo online along with allegations that he assaulted federal agents.
Related Articles
- Armed immigration officers aren’t always telling local police about raids and some fear it’s a creating ‘dangerous situations’
- Trump administration may have to hand over documents related to its use of troops in Southern California
- Cudahy vice mayor criticized — and under investigation — for suggesting gangs should combat ICE
- A look at how Trump’s big bill could change the US immigration system
- US Rep. LaMonica McIver pleads not guilty to assault charges stemming from immigration center visit
Conclusion
The incident involving Adrian Martinez and the immigration agents in Pico Rivera has sparked controversy and raised questions about the use of force by federal agents. Martinez’s actions, though deemed illegal by federal officials, have been seen by many as a courageous stand against what was perceived as excessive force. The case continues to unfold, with Martinez facing charges and the community remaining vigilant about the actions of immigration authorities.
FAQs
- What happened to Adrian Martinez during the incident in Pico Rivera?
Adrian Martinez was detained by immigration agents after he stood up for an undocumented worker being arrested. He was later charged with conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer. - What were the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the undocumented worker?
The undocumented worker was arrested by Border Patrol agents in the parking lot of a shopping center in Pico Rivera. Martinez intervened, standing up for the worker and criticizing the agents’ behavior. - What is the current status of Martinez’s case?
Martinez has been released on $5,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 17. His lawyers claim that the conspiracy charge is trumped up and that Martinez did not know the detained man he stood up for. - How has the community reacted to the incident?
The community has been supportive of Martinez, with over 150 people protesting outside City Hall and the shopping center where the incident occurred. Many have expressed concern about the use of force by federal agents and the treatment of undocumented workers.
