A Los Angeles man was charged with a felony Dec. 2 after he tried to firebomb a downtown federal building with several homemade explosives.
Jose Francisco Jovel, 54, a U.S. citizen, was arrested Dec. 1 outside the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building at 300 N. Los Angeles Street, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
During the arrest, Jovel allegedly told officers he was motivated by his anger at the federal government’s immigration policies and actions, according to prosecutors
“This case exemplifies how misleading and hateful rhetoric against federal law enforcement can and does result in violence,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli in a statement.
Jovel is charged with attempted malicious damage to federal property. He is scheduled for his first court appearance Wednesday. If convicted, Jovel faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Los Angeles police and fire crews responded to the building at about 8:35 a.m. following reports of a man with multiple Molotov cocktails, according to officials.
A contract security officer reported hearing a man yelling anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sentiments at officers on the sidewalk before allegedly throwing two unlit explosives at officers guarding the building, the DHS reported.
Evidence collected from the scene, including surveillance video, indicates Jovel attempted to light at least one of the devices, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.
A portion of the building was evacuated and two streets were closed while police investigated. The area was cleared by 11 a.m.
A criminal complaint was expected to be filed Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.
When Jovel was arrested, he told officers he wanted to blow up the building and “spray down” all the officers. He also made more derogatory comments about ICE officers, DHS said, adding that the explosives were not ignited and did no damage, and no officers were injured.
Authorities say Jovel also had four knives and a multipurpose tool on him at the time of the arrest. He also had a lighter and five more Molotov cocktails, according to prosecutors.
Jovel also allegedly set his Koreatown apartment on fire after getting an eviction notice, federal prosecutors claimed.
“This was a clear and deliberate attack on federal law enforcement, and it is emblematic of the constant attacks these brave men and women endure day in and day out as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, and gang members,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement.
Jovel’s criminal history spans nearly four decades, including charges of attempted murder in 1987, armed robbery in 1991, and annoying or molesting a minor in 2007, DHS reported.
ICE officers face a 1,150 percent increase in assaults against them and an 8,000 percent increase in death threats since the Trump administration first implemented its illegal immigrant deportation program this year, according to DHS.
Los Angeles, a sanctuary city that has enacted policies to shield illegal immigrants, became a protest hot spot early this year as increased enforcement and deportations began. ICE agents have conducted large-scale operations across Southern California workplaces and neighborhoods, detaining hundreds of illegal immigrants and sparking protests.
