By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-03 19:16:00 | Updated at 2026-08-03 20:57:18
1 hour ago
riot
An illegal migrant who poured lighter fluid onto a burning California Highway Patrol vehicle and tossed an electric scooter at cops trapped beneath a freeway overpass in a chaotic anti-ICE Los Angeles riot is headed to federal prison.
Yachua Mauricio Flores, 23, was sentenced Monday to 37 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $253,415 in restitution for his role in a pro-illegal immigration riot that rocked downtown LA on June 8 of last year, prosecutors said.
Born in Mexico in 2003, Flores came to the US as a toddler and lived in Lincoln Heights. He has no previous criminal history.
But his dangerous acts merit serious consequences, LA’s top federal prosecutor said.
“Those who attack law enforcement will face the full force of justice,” said Bill Essayli, United States attorney for the Central District of California. “This defendant can now reflect on his actions from a federal prison cell.”
As a ringleader in the brutal assault that saw law enforcement officers fighting for their lives, Flores egged on a gang that attacked police from Main Street overpass of the 101 Freeway, according to prosecutors
He stood on the overpass and dumped lighter fluid from plastic bottle onto a burning CHP vehicle below in the large-scale assault on cops.
Moments later, dumped a second bottle on the fire and directed another man to do spray more of the accelerant at the burning cop car, prosecutors say.
The accelerant fanned the flames of a burning CHP car engulfed by fire, as besieged officers tried to survive the flying rocks, concrete, street signs, fireworks, and burning debris thrown by protesters.
Flores also helped throw an electric scooter over the overpass railing toward officers and CHP vehicles, aware of the substantial risk of death or serious injury to the people he targeted below, according to the plea deal he reached with the Department of Justice.
Flores ped guilty to his crimes in April. He is just the latest in a string of agitators to face federal justice for their attacks on officers in the horrifying 2025 riot, said Essayli.
Six men total have pled guilty to hurling fireworks, rocks and other flaming objects at CHP that in the wild mob outside Roybal, including Flores, Ismael Vega, of Westlake, and Adam Charles Palermo, of Rampart Village.
A federal judge last week sentenced Vega, 42, to three years in federal prison for his role in the large-scale attack that encircled embattled cops.
Palermo in April pled guilty to felony assault with a deadly weapon. His sentencing is set for December 14.
Essayli said authorities will be relentless in their dogged efforts to identify, apprehend and prosecute those who assault cops in illegal riots, no matter how long it takes.
“Another day, another illegal immigration rioter from last summer is sent to federal prison,” said Essayli. “Actions have consequences.”
