OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
2:31 PM – Wednesday, October 22, 2025
A Mexican national illegally residing in the United States faces federal charges after a violent confrontation in South Los Angeles, where the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California says he rammed law enforcement vehicles during an immigration arrest attempt — resulting in injuries to both himself and a Deputy U.S. Marshal.
Carlitos Ricardo Parias, 44, a Mexican national who illegally entered the U.S. and is now living in South Los Angeles, was charged with assault on a federal officer in a criminal complaint filed on Wednesday.
On his TikTok account, @richardla18, Parias frequently posts videos documenting ICE enforcement tactics and doxing ICE agents, as well as recording the detentions of other illegal aliens. Many of his clips — some garnering hundreds of thousands of views — show him filming agents from a distance, sometimes narrating the events in Spanish and encouraging viewers to “know their rights.”
Though left-wing supporters of his describe Parias as a “citizen journalist,” many argue that his behavior often crosses into provocation. His videos occasionally show him confronting officers directly in an aggressive way, asking questions mid-arrest, and livestreaming sensitive enforcement scenes.
Ironically, in August this year, Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price’s office, through Deputy Chief of Staff Jose Ugarte, awarded a “Certificate of Recognition” to Parias. The certificate praised Parias for his anti-ICE journalism, particularly his efforts in documenting and sharing videos of ICE activities in the area.
The gunfire incident, which unfolded on Tuesday morning, escalated into a dangerous standoff involving gunfire, leaving both Parias and a Deputy Marshal wounded. Parias was shot in the elbow and the Marshal was also hit by a ricocheted bullet during the exchange.
“A vehicle is a deadly weapon,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “If it is used against federal agents, not only will you face years in federal prison, but you also face the possibility of deadly force being used against you. We will continue to use every tool in our legal arsenal to protect our agents enforcing immigration laws enacted by Congress.”
According to an affidavit accompanying the complaint, federal agents had been conducting surveillance in the South-Central neighborhood of South Los Angeles, targeting Parias, who was wanted under an administrative immigration arrest warrant and had previously evaded capture.
Agents observed Parias leaving a residence and entering a gray Toyota Camry, driving eastbound.
Law enforcement swiftly moved to block Parias’s path, positioning a vehicle to halt his progress. Recognizing the authorities, Parias reversed the Camry, only to be boxed in by two additional law enforcement vehicles — leaving no viable escape route.
Despite clear commands to exit the vehicle and surrender, Parias refused, instead ramming the Camry forward and backward into the surrounding law enforcement vehicles. As tensions escalated, an agent attempted to break the driver’s side window of the Camry.
Undeterred, Parias drove more aggressively, accelerating forward with such force that the vehicle’s tires produced thick plumes of smoke and sent debris — likely shredded tire rubber — flying toward the agents.
The Camry’s erratic movements, including fishtailing, heightened fears among agents that Parias might lose control and strike them. The combination of smoke, debris, and aggressive driving led agents to believe Parias could dislodge his vehicle and endanger their lives.
During the confrontation, a federal agent opened fire, wounding Parias and inadvertently striking a deputy U.S. marshal with a ricochet bullet. Both individuals are expected to recover.
Parias is slated to make his initial appearance in United States District Court in Los Angeles on Thursday, and he now faces a potential sentence of up to eight years in federal prison if convicted.
The investigation is being led by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, with support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The General Crimes Section is prosecuting the case.
Deportation (formal removal proceedings) cannot occur until the criminal case concludes, as federal criminal charges take precedence over civil immigration enforcement. Here are the possible scenarios:
- Post-Conviction (Earliest Possible): If convicted and sentenced to prison (up to 8 years), ICE will initiate removal proceedings under INA § 238(c) immediately after sentencing. He would serve his full term before deportation, potentially delaying removal until 2033 or later.
- Acquittal or Dismissal: If found not guilty or charges dropped, ICE could resume the administrative arrest warrant and place him in removal proceedings under INA § 240. This could lead to deportation in weeks to months, barring appeals or asylum claims.
- Plea Deal Scenario: A reduced charge or time served might allow concurrent immigration processing, accelerating deportation to late 2025 or early 2026.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!Sponsored Content Below