A Los Angeles tow truck driver has been charged with theft of government property after allegedly removing a federal vehicle during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Prosecutors said that on August 15, 33-year-old Bobby Nunez interfered as ICE agents attempted to detain Tatiana Mafla-Martinez, a 23-year-old Colombian national, in downtown Los Angeles.
According to court documents, ICE agents had used two government vehicles with emergency lights to block Mafla-Martinez’s car at the entrance of a parking garage. While agents were making the arrest, Nunez allegedly approached the scene, argued with officers, and was warned he was obstructing a federal investigation.
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Officials say that during the encounter, Nunez entered his tow truck and removed one of the government vehicles from the area. The vehicle reportedly contained its keys and a secured firearm at the time.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that Nunez later posted videos of the incident on social media. The government vehicle was recovered a short distance away, and authorities located Nunez’s tow truck two days later at the same apartment complex where the incident occurred.
Mafla-Martinez, who entered the United States unlawfully in 2022, has gained attention on social media for posting videos about immigration enforcement activities in Los Angeles, according to law enforcement sources cited in media reports.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli shared a video of the arrest on X, showing agents taking Mafla-Martinez into custody while another officer pursued the departing tow truck on foot.
Nunez faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison if convicted.
