It was one of the viral videos that helped define the insanity of the anti-ICE mania in June 2025. Protests raged in cities across the country, but the biggest action went down in Los Angeles.
Videos from the time showed a man in a motorcycle helmet and “Zacatecas” jersey hurling rocks at law enforcement vehicles as they drove near a Home Depot in Paramount.
He’s 42-year-old Compton resident Elpidio Reyna, and on Friday, justice came for him:
🚨 Sentenced to Prison
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) September 11, 2026
Today, Elpidio Reyna was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison for hurling rocks at a federal vehicle during last year’s anti-immigration enforcement riot in Paramount, shattering a window and injuring an officer.
Like I said before: If you hit a federal… https://t.co/psPhSEztWG
🚨Sentenced to Prison
Today, Elpidio Reyna was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison for hurling rocks at a federal vehicle during last year’s anti-immigration enforcement riot in Paramount, shattering a window and injuring an officer.
Like I said before: If you hit a federal agent, we will hit you with a federal felony.
The attacks occurred across the street from the Home Depot where agents were staging an operation. “Mostly peaceful” protesters started lighting stuff on fire and then moved to throwing objects, including the aforementioned concrete blocks. One of the projectiles broke a window, causing glass to slice an officer’s forehead.
Here’s Reyna in action:
SEE THE VIDEOS: The rock thrower who went viral for violently hurling rocks at federal agent's windows during the immigration raids in L.A. last summer was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison today, according to the US Attorneys office in L.A. Elpidio Reyna, a US citizen, was… pic.twitter.com/ArInSVjsp0
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) September 12, 2026
SEE THE VIDEOS: The rock thrower who went viral for violently hurling rocks at federal agent's windows during the immigration raids in L.A. last summer was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison today, according to the US Attorneys office in L.A. Elpidio Reyna, a US citizen, was wanted by the Feds last summer and later surrendered at the San Ysidro port of Entry.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said Reyna needs to rethink his choices:
“Disagreeing with laws passed by Congress does not give you a right to assault federal officers,” he said in a statement.
“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.”
It’s the end of the line (for now, anyway) for Reyna after a long journey. He briefly made the FBI Los Angeles Field Office's Top Ten Most Wanted list and fled to Mexico, but he was nabbed by Mexican authorities and taken to the border, where he surrendered to U.S. law enforcement. He has been in U.S. custody since July 2025, and in February of this year he pleaded guilty to a felony count of assault on a federal officer by deadly or dangerous weapon resulting in bodily injury.
If anyone reading here has an ounce of sympathy for this guy, which I doubt, be aware that he posted video of his rock-throwing escapades to his TikTok account. Law enforcement worked with the social media company to track down his address.
The judge should have tossed on a little extra time just for that epic level of stupidity.
Enjoy your stay.
Editor’s Note: ICE and CBP continue to put themselves in harm's way in order to protect America’s sovereignty and to keep our streets safe.
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