FBI Arrests Driver Who Went Viral for Delivering “Bionic Shield” Face Masks to LA Rioters in Early Morning Sting

The FBI arrested the man who went viral last week for handing out military grade bionic shield face masks to rioters in LA.

U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said in a statement:

ARRESTED: Alejandro Theodoro Orellana was arrested this morning by @FBILosAngeles on an allegation of Conspiracy to Commit Civil Disorders (18 USC 371) for distributing face shields to suspected rioters on Tuesday. We are moving quickly to identify and arrest those involved in… pic.twitter.com/Ase8kxupfp

— U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) June 12, 2025

The suspect has been identified as Alejandro Orellana, an alleged member of the Brown Berets, a radical Chicano nationalist paramilitary organization. The group, long known for its anti-police rhetoric and militant activism, has reportedly embedded operatives in several major U.S. cities.

BREAKING – The man seen distributing tens of thousands of dollars worth of face shields in Los Angeles to rioters has been identified as Alejandro Orellana, a known member of the Brown Berets, a radical Latino paramilitary group that are currently embedded in cities across the… https://t.co/504D4tWXMI pic.twitter.com/NWGaswAzcx

— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) June 11, 2025

On June 9, local reporter Elex Michaelson of FOX LA captured the moment protesters swarmed the trucks to grab the gear, noting:

“It certainly seems like gear you’d wear if you’re preparing for conflict with police. Who is funding this?”

#BREAKING We just saw people arrive in Downtown L.A. with truck loads of Bionic Face Shields that demonstrators quickly grabbed.

It certainly seems like gear you’d wear if you’re preparing for conflict with police.

Who is funding this? pic.twitter.com/2hZphafOsi

— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) June 10, 2025

ICYMI: Here’s the moment a pickup truck dropped off boxes of face shields in downtown LA during our live report on @FOXLA with @Elex_Michaelson and @DevineNews pic.twitter.com/4JZYE69dMg

— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) June 10, 2025