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Feds probing protest funding as officials drop hammer on violent LA rioters

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Feds probing protest funding as officials drop hammer on violent LA rioters

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Los Angeles officials have announced sweeping charges filed against numerous individuals accused of sparking violence as riots against immigration efforts continue to plague the sanctuary city. 

In a news conference Tuesday, LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and California Highway Patrol Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris announced additional federal and state charges filed against numerous alleged rioters. 

“This group wanted to commit crimes,” Hochman said. “They looked at the protest as a cover, an opportunity to go ahead and ply their illegal trade and commit a whole variety of crimes that, in many ways, has done a huge disservice to the legitimate protesters out there.” 

CALIFORNIA SHERIFF SAYS NEARLY A DOZEN DEPUTIES INJURED IN ANTI-ICE RIOTS

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Police detain a man during a protest in Paramount, Calif., June 7, 2025, after federal immigration authorities conducted operations. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Several arrests have stemmed from peaceful protesters reporting acts of violence, and over 45 law enforcement agencies aided in the efforts to maintain order throughout the city, Hochman said. 

One of the suspects, William Rubio, has been charged with two felony counts of assault on a police officer and two felony counts of using a destructive device to injure or destroy after allegedly hurling fireworks toward law enforcement during the riots, according to Hochman. 

Essayli revealed additional instances of individuals charged with federal crimes for their alleged roles in the violent riots. 

PHOTOS: SEE THE ANTI-TRUMP VIOLENCE THAT HAS UNFOLDED ON LA’S STREETS ACROSS THE LAST WEEK

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Los Angeles Police Department officers move in on demonstrators in front of LA City Hall during a protest against federal immigration sweeps in downtown Los Angeles June 8, 2025.    (Reuters/Barbara Davidson)

One of the protesters, Alejandro Orellana, was charged with conspiracy to commit civil disorder, along with aiding and abetting civil disorder, Essayli said. Prosecutors allege Orellana passed out face shields to people behaving violently. 

“These face shields are designed to protect from chemical splashes and flying debris,” Essayli said, “which helps protect violent agitators from less than lethal weapons deployed by law enforcement.” 

After the FBI executed a search warrant at Orellana’s home, authorities say they discovered a wrist rocket-style slingshot, ammunition, plastic goggles and a notebook with abbreviations for “All Cops are B——” and “murder” that allegedly belonged to Orellana. 

Each charge filed against Orellana carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison. 

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FBI WILL INVESTIGATE ‘ANY EVIDENCE OF A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY’ IN LA RIOTS

Firefighters respond to a car burning during a protest in Compton, Calif., June 7, 2025, after federal immigration authorities conducted operations. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Essayli also pointed to the arrest of Adam Charles Palermo for his alleged role in attacking CHP officers. Palermo was charged with attempted arson of a vehicle used in interstate or foreign commerce after he was allegedly caught on camera participating in the violence. 

“[Palermo’s] social media account contained a collage of photographs and videos depicting a man holding flying debris, a CHP patrol car on fire, and various other damage to CHP patrol cars,” Essayli said. “He wrote, ‘All of the protests I’ve been involved in, which is well over 100 now. I’m most proud of what I did today.’”  

If convicted, Palermo could face to 20 years in prison. 

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“He will not be doing any protests for the next foreseeable future,” Essayli said. 

DOZENS OF ANTI-ICE RIOTERS ARRESTED IN LA AS TRUMP SENDS IN NATIONAL GUARD TO QUELL VIOLENCE

A law enforcement officer fires a projectile during a protest Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Noah Berger/AP Photo)

In addition to the numerous new charges, the IRS is looking into dozens of organizations and nonprofits’ funding of the protests as part of a long-term investigation. 

“The IRS [specializes] in tracing the money and finding out where it’s coming from [and] where it’s going,” Essayli said.  

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Since the first weekend of protests, the Los Angeles Police Department has arrested 575 people, according to a media release. 

“These crimes don’t advance any cause or further any message at all,” LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said. “What they do is endanger the lives of our officers [and] harm our communities, small businesses who are desperately trying to recover in a very challenging atmosphere and our civic institutions.” 

ICE RAMPS UP ARRESTS OF CONVICTED CRIMINALS AS RIOTS RAGE IN BLUE CITY: ‘YOU WILL NOT STOP US’

On Saturday, 38 people were detained on various charges, including curfew violations, failure to disperse and resisting arrest as protests coincided with the “No Kings” demonstrations sweeping the nation. The protests were aimed at countering the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary military parade, which took place on President Donald Trump’s birthday. 

The total comes as authorities look to regain control after riots kicked off in response to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids throughout the sanctuary city. 

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For several nights, police clashed with protesters in the streets of downtown LA, deploying tear gas and other crowd control measures to maintain order. 

A protester places debris in a fire as Border Patrol personnel in riot gear and gas masks stand guard outside an industrial park in Paramount, Calif., June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

“During the crowd control situation, numerous less-lethal munitions were used,” the LAPD said. 

Authorities have battled protesters hurling projectiles, setting fire to cars and launching fireworks at police officers in response to the ICE raids, and 10 members of law enforcement reported injuries as of Monday, according to the LAPD. 

Of the most violent offenses, an illegal immigrant from Mexico was charged with attempted murder last week after authorities say he threw a Molotov cocktail during a demonstration, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 

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ILLEGAL ALIEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR THROWING MOLOTOV COCKTAIL AT OFFICERS IN LA RIOTS: DHS

Hundreds of protesters, demanding that ICE raids on workplaces stop immediately, clash with police June 8, 2025, as the Trump administration continues its immigration raids in Los Angeles. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“Emiliano Garduno-Galvez is a criminal illegal alien from Mexico who threatened the lives of federal law enforcement officers by attacking them with a Molotov cocktail during the violent riots in Los Angeles,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin previously said in a statement. “ICE arrested Garduno-Galvez, and he is now being charged with attempted murder. These are the types of criminal illegal aliens that rioters are fighting to protect.” 

The LA District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin contributed to this report. 
 

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San Francisco, CA

Giants open to moving big names before Trade Deadline

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Giants open to moving big names before Trade Deadline


SAN FRANCISCO — Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey made it clear on Tuesday that he has no plans to entertain trade offers for homegrown ace Logan Webb. But he acknowledged that he will be open to potential deals for other Giants, including high-priced veterans like Matt Chapman, Willy



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Denver, CO

Nuggets trade 26th pick in NBA Draft to Spurs, moving out of first round

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Nuggets trade 26th pick in NBA Draft to Spurs, moving out of first round


Draft day in Denver ended with a yawn.

But behind the scenes, the Nuggets were pleased by their anticlimactic outcome.

On the clock Tuesday night with the 26th pick in the NBA Draft, the Nuggets chose to trade out of the first round, beginning to replenish an asset pool that was drained by the previous front office regime. San Antonio moved up to No. 26 in exchange for giving Denver the No. 35 overall pick in Wednesday’s second round and two additional future second-round picks.

Denver now controls a 2028 Minnesota second-round pick and a 2031 Sacramento second-rounder, according to league sources. The Spurs selected Connecticut big man Tarris Reed Jr. at No. 26. The Nuggets will go into Wednesday with two picks — 35th and 49th. Multiple teams had already called them to inquire about No. 35 by the end of Tuesday night, one source told The Post.

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Co-general managers Jon Wallace and Ben Tenzer have less than 24 hours to decide if they want to use that pick or parlay it into more future draft capital. Part of their rationale for trading back, multiple team sources told The Post, was that they felt the 2026 draft class had a substantial drop-off in talent around No. 20.

What the Nuggets eventually do with their new picks will determine how Tuesday’s trade is evaluated. Second-rounders are often used as trade assets rather than to select playable talent, and Denver’s shortage of them has inhibited its ability to get involved in trade conversations around the league recently. Wallace and Tenzer inherited the NBA’s most depleted war chest when they took over the front office in 2025, whereas adversaries like Oklahoma City and San Antonio are practiced in the art of asset accumulation.

If one first-round pick can slowly grow into a wider swath of lower-quality picks that can subsequently be put to good use in other trades to improve the roster, then No. 26 will have been a worthy sacrifice. That could take lots of time, hard work and negotiating tact.

But the Nuggets are also faced with awkward luxury tax decisions this offseason, and they’re tied to multiple contracts that are widely perceived as having negative value, namely Christian Braun and Zeke Nnaji. If they promptly use their new picks to dump either of those salaries without bringing back any helpful players, it would be a clear indicator that team ownership is prioritizing tax savings over roster improvement.

The front office’s challenge will be to balance and accomplish both goals, which tend to be at odds with each other. At least one salary-shedding move is essentially guaranteed to occur as Denver attempts to retain Peyton Watson in restricted free agency, as The Post reported in April.

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Wallace and Tenzer still have not made a draft pick yet in their tenure. For now, Denver will treat it as a win if they can stockpile future picks and right some old wrongs. A seemingly tedious trade elicited applause inside the Nuggets’ war room Tuesday, even as team president Josh Kroenke was caught on camera looking disgruntled by something. His bemusement, according to a source, was in response to some confusion on the other end of the line as Denver was trying to call in the 26th pick on behalf of the Spurs.

San Antonio walked away from the first round with two prospects secured in Reed and Jayden Quaintance. Oklahoma City snagged Aday Mara 12th and Bennett Stirtz 16th — sobering reminders that talent is going to keep on flowing into the two rosters that pose the biggest existential threats to Denver.

Nuggets recent draft history

The Nuggets haven’t drafted in the top 20 since 2018 — the cost of becoming a perennial playoff team as Nikola Jokic entered his prime. They’ve gotten mixed results from their late first-round picks since then, which is typical at that stage of the draft. Five of their six first-rounders this decade are still on the active roster, though only two of them were in the everyday rotation last season: Christian Braun (21st) and Peyton Watson (30th), both of whom were selected by former GM Calvin Booth in 2022.

Nnaji (22nd in 2020) is the third-longest tenured player on the team, but the four-year, $32 million contract extension he signed in 2023 has turned out to be a small-scale albatross on Denver’s cap sheet. Bones Hyland (26th in 2021) was shipped off to the Clippers at the 2023 trade deadline after he caused locker room frustration by walking off the bench during a game. He plays for Minnesota now.



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Seattle, WA

NBA Commissioner says Las Vegas, Seattle remain expansion targets for 2028-29 season

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NBA Commissioner says Las Vegas, Seattle remain expansion targets for 2028-29 season


Las Vegas could be years away from landing an NBA expansion team, but the league’s commissioner is now offering a clearer sense of the timeline.

On Tuesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told “The Dan Patrick Show” that Seattle and Las Vegas remain the cities the NBA is focused on if it expands. “If we expand, at least we’re thinking ’28-29 season,” Silver said.

Silver had previously signaled before that March meeting that Seattle and Las Vegas were at the center of the expansion discussion, while cautioning that no decision had been made.

“We will make decisions in 2026,” Silver said in February.

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At the time, Silver said the league was not expected to vote in March but could emerge from those meetings ready to take the next step and begin discussions with potential ownership groups.

Las Vegas has long been viewed as Seattle’s most likely expansion partner if the NBA grows from 30 to 32 teams. Silver, however, has repeatedly said the league could expand by two teams, one team, or not at all.

The potential of an NBA Las Vegas expansion team has already drawn interest. This week, majority owner of the Vegas Golden Knights, Bill Foley, announced he is putting together a bid for the expansion team in Las Vegas.



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