Latest news with #JonathanAnthonyCaravello
New York Post
a day ago
- Politics
- New York Post
California professor Jonathan Anthony Caravello arrested for allegedly tossing tear gas canister at ICE agents during raid on marijuana farm
A California professor was arrested for allegedly chucking a tear gas canister at ICE agents during a raid on a marijuana farm being investigated for child labor violations. Jonathan Anthony Caravello — a math and philosophy professor at California State University Channel Islands — was arrested by federal agents conducting a raid at Glass House Farms in Ventura County on Thursday, ABC 7 reported. US Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X that Caravello was arrested for 'throwing a tear gas canister at law enforcement.' 5 Jonathan Anthony Caravello was arrested by federal agents conducting a raid at Glass House Farms in Ventura County on Thursday. CSUCI Essayli said Caravello was charged with 'a violation of 18 USC 111,' for allegedly 'assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees,' according to federal law. The US attorney also denied claims that the educator was 'kidnapped' by federal agents. On Friday, the California Faculty Association shared that Caravello was 'kidnapped' by federal agents after protesters and law enforcement clashed during Thursday's raid. The post claimed that '4 masked agents dragged Jonathan away into an unmarked reason without identifying themselves, without giving the reason for arrest, and without disclosing where they are taking him.' However, a criminal complaint obtained by the Ojai Valley News revealed 'dozens of protestors attempt to obstruct the execution of the high-risk search warrant' near Glass House Farms. The affidavit claims that Caravello was seen holding a 'megaphone' walking along the yellow police tape, 'loudly playing a siren sound' towards agents. 5 Tear gas billows from canisters thrown by federal agents towards protesters during an immigration raid on an agricultural facility in Camarillo, California, on July 10, 2025. via REUTERS Protestors then later began throwing 'rocks' at government vehicles, causing 'large-scale damage, including broken windows, broken side view mirrors, and frame damage to the vehicles.' As the escalation continued, agents deployed tear gas among the protestors to disperse them. Caravello was allegedly caught on an agent's body camera footage attempting to 'kick the canister,' but missed. 'Caravello turned around, ran towards the canister, picked it up, and threw the canister overhand back at BP agents,' the complaint claims. 'A BP Agent reported that the canister was thrown at law enforcement and recalls that the canister came within approximately several feet above law enforcement's heads.' 5 A protester kneels in front of federal agents in a farm field during an immigration raid in Camarillo, Calif., Thursday, July 10, 2025. AP Caravello then allegedly left the scene, but about 'two hours later,' an individual matching his description returned wearing different clothes, according to the affidavit. After determining he was the individual who threw the canister, two border patrol agents attempted to arrest him just before 6 p.m., according to the criminal complaint. 'As BP agents arrested Caravello, they placed him on his stomach on the ground. BP Agent R.C. gave Caravello verbal commands to give law enforcement officers his arms but Caravellowould not comply and attempted to grab a BP Agent's leg,' the complaint alleged. 'As BP Agent R.C. and other BP agents attempted to detain Caravello, Caravello continuously kicked his legs and refused to give the BP agents his arms.' 5 Federal immigration officials carrying out raids on two southern California cannabis farms clashed with protesters in Camarillo on July 10, 2025. ALLISON DINNER/EPA/Shutterstock Caravello has since been released from custody on $15,000 bail, with an arraignment set for Aug. 1. California State University Channel Islands released a statement following his arrest, ABC 7 reported. 'At this time, it is our understanding that Professor Caravello was peacefully participating in a protest-an act protected under the First Amendment and a right guaranteed to all Americans. If confirmed, we stand with elected officials and community leaders calling for his immediate release,' the statement read. 'The California State University remains committed to the principles of free expression, academic freedom, and due process, and will continue to monitor the situation closely.' Federal agents said they served a warrant on Glass House Farms after it was accused of hiring and harboring undocumented workers. 5 More than '500 rioters attempted to disrupt operations,' leading to 'four US citizens' being 'criminally processed for assaulting or resisting officers.' ALLISON DINNER/EPA/Shutterstock More than 350 undocumented workers were arrested in the raids at its locations in Carpinteria and Camarillo on Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. Officials said that 'violent and dangerous criminals' were arrested during the operation, and 'as of July 13, at least 14 migrant children have been rescued from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking.' Officials also said that 'more than 500 rioters attempted to disrupt operations,' leading to 'four US citizens' being 'criminally processed for assaulting or resisting officers.' Glass House Farms is now facing alleged child labor law violations. Glass House Brands stated in a press release that they complied with the federal warrants issued and 'never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors.' with Post wires
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
California professor unmasked as protester who 'hurled tear gas at ICE agents' during pot farm raid
A California professor has been accused of hurling tear gas at ICE agents during a tumultuous raid on a cannabis farm last week. Jonathan Anthony Caravello was taken into custody on Thursday, with U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli claiming on social media that he threw a tear gas cannister at law enforcement officials who descended on Glass House Farms in Ventura County. Essayli went on to deny the California Faculty Association's earlier claims that Caravello - who teaches math and philosophy at California State University Channel Islands - was 'kidnapped' by federal agents. Instead, a criminal complaint obtained by the Ojai Valley News claims that after agent deployed cannisters of tear gas, Caravello was caught on body camera footage 'attempt[ing] to kick the canister' which proceeded to roll past him. 'Caravello turned around, ran towards the canister, picked it up and threw the canister overhand back at [Border Patrol] agents,' an affidavit says, adding that it 'came within approximately several feet above law enforcements' heads.' In the aftermath, Caravello allegedly left the scene - only to return a few hours later wearing different clothes, according to the affidavit. It also claims that Caravello was seen 'holding a microphone' at the cannabis farm when Border Patrol agents 'attempted to clear a safe pathway' between the protesters and government-owned vehicles attempting to leave. He was arrested just before 6pm, according to the criminal complaint, which states that agents placed the professor on his stomach on the ground and gave him 'verbal commands... but Caravello would not comply and attempted to grab a [Border Patrol] agent's leg. 'Caravello continuously kicked his legs and refused to give the BP agents his arms,' the complaint alleges. Witnesses at the scene, though, offered a different version of events. They claimed the professor was attempting to dislodge a tear gas cannister that became stuck underneath another protester's wheelchair when he was arrested, ABC 7 reports. Angelmarie Taylor, 24, also told the Los Angeles Times she saw agents fire tear gas after Caravello and others refused to move out of the way of agents' vehicles. At that point, four masked agents took Caravello from the protest site and placed him in an unmarked vehicle without identifying themselves, stating a reason for his arrest or disclosing where they were taking him, the California Faculty Association claimed. 'They didn't give us a dispersal order,' Taylor recounted. 'They didn't say anything.' In a statement, California State University Channel Islands said it is working to get 'additional information to fully understand the circumstances of the incident.' 'At this time, it is our understanding that Professor Caravello was peacefully participating in a protest - an act protected under the First Amendment and a right guaranteed to all Americans,' the university said. 'If confirmed, we stand with elected officials and community leaders calling for his immediate release.' Members of the California Faculty Association and VC Defensa, an immigration rights group, then hosted a rally demanding the release of at least 12 Ventura County residents - including Caravello - on Sunday. 'As part of our union's antiracism and social justice agenda, we show up for our immigrant communities, including faculty and students engaged in efforts to stop and protect our communities from the invasion of ICE, [Department of Homeland Security], National Guard and local law enforcement,' the California Faculty Association said in a statement. A spokesperson for the group also spoke up about Caravello's detention in remarks to the Coyote Chronicle. 'This was not just an arrest - it was a disappearance,' the spokesperson said. 'Dr. Caravello is a US citizen, a public servant and an advocate for justice. His abduction is part of a deeply alarming trend of silencing dissent and criminalizing compassion.' VC Defensa also shared a message on Instagram asserting that Caravello was 'defending the immigrant community and supporting other people who come to show their support. 'Let's be critical before sharing news that he was "violent,"' the immigrant rights group urged. 'We have so many witnesses that know he was attacked by ICE and assaulted for no reason other than he was in the crowd that stood against ICE. 'This is an egregious lie by the ruling class (as always!!),' it claimed. Still, Caravello is now facing federal charges of 'assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees,' which can carry up to 10 years in prison if the offense involves a weapon or causes injury. He was released on a $15,000 bail on Monday, with an arraignment set for August 1. Meanwhile, Democrats have spoken out against the ICE raid at the cannabis farm, as they insisted the migrants agents were after were just children picking strawberries. Ventura County Democratic Party Chair Steve Auclair called the raid 'a military attack on our community,' Auclair said. 'First they came for the farmworkers. Now they're coming for all of us,' he declared. California Gov. Gavin Newsom even declared that President Donald Trump is 'the real scum' for conducting the nationwide ICE raids.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
361 arrested in immigration sweeps at 2 Southern California cannabis farms, feds say
After an immigrant enforcement operation at two cannabis farms last week included violent clashes between protesters and federal agents, officials with the Department of Homeland Security said more than 350 undocumented workers were arrested and that 'at least 14 migrant children were rescued.' The immigration sweeps, one at Glass House Farms in Camarillo and another about 35 miles up the coast at another Glass House facility in Carpinteria, unfolded simultaneously at around 8:30 a.m. on July 10. One man who worked at Glass House Farms Camarillo operation, who was reportedly attempting to evade immigration agents, fell some 30 off a building and was hospitalized with critical injuries. The man, later identified as Jamie Alanís, died Saturday after being taken off life support his family confirmed to KTLA. During violent clashes between an estimated 500 demonstrators who gathered to protest the raid in Camarillo, and federal immigration agents, assisted by federalized members of the California National Guard, law enforcement deployed less-than-lethal rounds and tear gas into the crowds. Investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a man who appears in video to open fire on federal authorities during the day's unrest. A California State University Channel Islands professor, identified as Jonathan Anthony Caravello, was among those detained during the raids. Federal officials claim the math and philosophy lecturer lobbed a tear gas cannister at law enforcement and is now facing federal charges. Three other protesters were also arrested, according to DHS, though they have yet to be identified. In a news release, DHS gave an update on the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations at the farms. Teddy bear purportedly wrapped in human skin found in Southern California likely prank 'On July 10, 2025, federal law enforcement officers executed criminal warrant operations at marijuana grow sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo,' the release stated. 'As of July 13, at least 14 migrant children have been rescued from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking. Federal officers also arrested at least 361 illegal aliens from both sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo.' Officials said that 'violent and dangerous criminals' were arrested during the operation, but only provided information on four individuals, identified as: Roman Izquierdo, of Mexico, who has been convicted of kidnapping, attempted rape and attempted child molestation. He was previously deported in 2006, DHS said Juan Duarte-Velasquez, also from Mexico, who DHS said has been convicted of rape and driving while under the influence Jose Orellana, from El Salvador, who has three convictions for burglary and one for a DUI, federal officials said Adriana Gonzalez-Gonzalez, from Mexico, who, according to DHS, has three convictions for burglary No information was provided on the remaining 357 people taken into custody. As for the minors located during the immigration sweep, DHS said the children were rescued 'from what looks like exploitation, forced child labor, and potentially human trafficking or smuggling.' In an X post on the day of the raids, CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said that Glass House Farms would be investigated for child labor violations. A day after the raids, dozens of children were spotted in handcuffs at the Los Angeles Federal Building, The Orange County Register reported, though it's unclear if those were the children reportedly rescued during a sweep of cannabis farms. 'This is quickly becoming one of the largest operations since President Trump took office, and we're only getting started,' DHS said in a post to X. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
California professor accused of assault after he was ‘kidnapped' during ICE protests at cannabis farm raid
Federal prosecutors have accused a university professor of assaulting law enforcement by throwing a tear gas canister back at officers during protests against immigration raids at a California cannabis farm. Jonathan Anthony Caravello, a math and philosophy lecturer at California State University Channel Islands, was arrested July 10 as heavily armed federal agents fired tear gas into crowds demonstrating against the raids. Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, accused Caravello of 'throwing a tear gas canister at law enforcement' and said his office is preparing to charge him with assaulting, resisting or impeding officers. Carvello's first court appearance is Monday. According to witnesses, a tear gas canister had rolled under the wheelchair of a legal observer who struggled to breathe or move. Caravello had reportedly rushed over to help when he was tackled by agents. Following his arrest, more than 24 hours passed before Caravello's whereabouts were discovered. His educators' union, California Faculty Association, posted a statement saying that he had been 'kidnapped' by four masked agents who did not identify themselves or state where they were taking him as they placed him in an unmarked car. The university said in a statement that it believed Caravello 'was peacefully participating in a protest — an act protected under the First Amendment and a right guaranteed to all Americans.' 'If confirmed, we stand with elected officials and community leaders calling for his immediate release,' the university said. Members of the California Faculty Association held a vigil Sunday in front of a detention center demanding his release. The raids and intense standoff between protesters and federal agents have emerged as the latest flashpoint in Donald Trump's aggressive anti-immigration agenda, which has deployed masked federal law enforcement agents into communities to make mass arrests and swiftly remove thousands of people from the country. Last week, officers arrested more than 300 people during a pair of raids inside cannabis farms in Camarillo, California, roughly 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Agents allegedly discovered 10 undocumented immigrant children working there. The United Farm Workers union said several workers were critically injured during the raids, while other targeted workers, including a U.S. citizen, 'remain totally unaccounted for.' Agents are accused of chasing one worker who fell 30 feet from the top of a building. Jaime Alanis Garcia was hospitalized and placed on life support with a broken neck, broken skull and a severed artery. Garcia was later removed from life support and died from his injuries. 'His wife and parents decided today to let him rest. He has passed away,' his family said in a statement. The raids sparked an intense standoff between protesters and federal officers who arrived on the scene in military-style vehicles. 'We are outraged by these military-style tactics that target immigrants and terrorize communities,' California Faculty Association said in a statement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security agents are 'tearing families apart and undermining the constitutional rights of everyone — including U.S. citizens — who stand with marginalized communities,' the group said.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cal State Channel Islands calls for immediate release of detained professor
California State University Channel Islands is calling for the immediate release of one of their professors who was detained during a protest on Thursday. The demonstration sprung up while federal officials conducted a raid at a Glass House Farms marijuana grow facility in Camarillo, not far from the CSUCI campus. At some point during the protest – which saw tear gas being deployed and dozens being handcuffed – Professor Jonathan Anthony Caravello was detained and taken from the scene. According to a social media post published Friday by the California Faculty Association, Professor Caravello was 'kidnapped' by federal agents who didn't provide any information to demonstrators. 'Four masked agents dragged Jonathan away into an unmarked [vehicle] without identifying themselves, without giving the reason for arrest and without disclosing where they are taking him,' the post reads. Woman unaccounted for after California immigration raid had recorded video In a statement, CSUCI confirmed that school officials were aware of the reports that Professor Caravello, a math and philosophy lecturer who is a U.S. citizen, was taken into federal custody. 'At this time, it is our understanding that Professor Caravello was peacefully participating in a protest – an act protected under the First Amendment and a right guaranteed to all Americans,' the statement reads. 'If confirmed, we stand with elected officials and community leaders calling for his immediate release.' CSUCI officials elaborated that they would continue to monitor the situation closely. Hours after the statement was released, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated that Caravello would be charged with a violation of United States Penal Code 18 USC 111, 'assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees.' A social media post published late Saturday night by the California Faculty Association indicated that Professor Caravello had been located and was in contact with his family. There was no word on where he was found. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
