Two South Los Angeles residents were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of impeding the activities of federal immigration agents, authorities said.
Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to impede or injure an officer, and if convicted could face a maximum sentence of six years in federal prison, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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On the morning of Feb. 28, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Border Patrol agents executed four search warrants at different residences in Los Angeles, according to a criminal complaint. One occurred at a residence in South LA.
Once the federal agents left the property, the defendants allegedly pulled their vehicle in front of one of the government vehicles and blocked its pathway at the intersection of 61st Street and Broadway, the news release said.
According to the complaint, both admitted to acting to stop or impede immigration operations.
“Anyone who deliberately gets in the way of immigration officers doing their job will face criminal prosecution and the prospect of doing time in a federal prison cell,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli in the news release.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this case.