BREAKING: DOJ drops case against LA activist distributing face shields at anti-ICE riots

Federal prosecutors have moved to dismiss the case against a Los Angeles who had been seen on video distributing face masks during the LA anti-ICE riots in June.

According to court documents, the case against, Alejandro Theodoro Orellana has been dropped, with the DOJ stating, "Plaintiff United States of America, by and through its counsel of record, the United States Attorney for the Central District of California, hereby moves pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 48(a), and by leave of the Court, to dismiss the Indictment without prejudice in the above-referenced case.”

According to Bloomberg Law, the motion from the DOJ came down after Bill Essayli had faced pressure from prosecutors over the case. Orellana had been charged with civil disturbance, which usually requires consultation with the National Security Division in Washington.

Orellana had been indicted by a grand jury earlier in July for distributing the face shields at the anti-ICE riots in LA that took place in June. He had been charged with conspiracy to commit civil disorder and aiding and abetting civil disorder.

At the time of Orellana's arrest on June 12, Essayli wrote on X, "ARRESTED: Alejandro Theodoro Orellana was arrested this morning by FBI Los Angeles on an allegation of Conspiracy to Commit Civil Disorders (18 USC 371) for distributing face shields to suspected rioters on Tuesday. We are moving quickly to identify and arrest those involved in organizing and/or supporting civil disorder in Los Angeles."

The case being dropped against Orellana comes after other cases from the DOJ were dropped against others involved in the LA anti-ICE riots, according to the LA Times. The riots in California took place in reaction to the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration in the sanctuary city.