A Southern California man has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in anti-immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) riots last year, during which he hurled concrete rocks at federal agents.
Elpidio Reyna, 42, of Compton, was captured on video throwing large chunks of concrete at government vehicles in June 2025 near a Home Depot in Paramount. The attack occurred as agents were staging an operation when Reyna and other protestors began lighting objects on fire and throwing rocks at their vehicles. One rock thrown by Reyna broke through glass, cutting an officer's forehead.
"Disagreeing with laws passed by Congress does not give you a right to assault federal officers," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated. "This defendant thought he would go unpunished for throwing large rocks at law enforcement. Instead, he’ll be serving time in federal prison, where he can reflect on his poor decision."
Following the incident, Reyna fled to Mexico after law enforcement released images of him. He was placed on the FBI’s wanted list and was eventually apprehended by Mexican authorities before agreeing to surrender to the FBI. Reyna pleaded guilty on February 17 to one felony count of assault on a federal officer by deadly or dangerous weapon resulting in bodily injury. He has been in federal custody since July 2025.
In a separate but related incident, Jacob Daniel Terrazas, 31, received a 10-month jail sentence in July for throwing cinderblocks at federal vehicles during the same riot. One of those rocks struck a Border Patrol agent, causing bleeding. Additionally, a 25-year-old man was sentenced to 30 months in prison in June for hitting an officer in the head with a rock at an ICE office in Portland.